Little One
by Girlbender875
Summary: The Executor is picking up new recruits. Old recruits are nervous to be on the bridge. Darth Vader is brooding. The day seems to be a regular one in Death Squadron... until Vader gets himself into more trouble than his Imperials can handle. R&R!
1. A Routine Day

**Here's an Imperial-crazy story! I always love diving into daily life for Imperials rather than just the militaristic look that you see in the movies, so this is a fun story for me. I have to admit, though, that looking at the plot made me think I needed to be admitted to a mental hospital. -_-' Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!**

**Title: Little One**

**Rating: T (violence, VERY mild adult themes)**

**Summary: The _Executor_ is picking up new recruits. Old recruits are nervous to be on the bridge. Darth Vader is brooding. The day seems to be a regular one in Death Squadron... until Vader gets himself into more trouble than his Imperials can handle. R&R!**

**Disclaimer: If I even tried to own SW Darth Vader would choke me. O_O I don't see how Lucas survives with that Sith on the loose! *googles "sith collar/leash"*  
**

* * *

Space was as silent as ever, a black void, when suddenly the fabric was torn by a Super Star Destroyer emerging with an entire fleet following it; Death Squadron, Darth Vader's fleet.

Jifo Hu sighed as he sat down in the mess hall of the _Executor_. A voice announced that they had just arrived at a stop-off station for refueling. The windows on the ceiling turned transparent once again after going opaque during the trip in hyperspace. The light of the system's sun shone through, illuminating the tables in the large room. The sound of utensils against plates resounded around the room as people ate cheerfully but quickly.

Jifo himself was far from cheerful. Tomorrow was creeping ever closer, when he would be on the same bridge as Darth Vader. Chills went down his spine and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck standing up.

"Hey, Ji!" a voice called from the entranceway.

Jifo turned and saw the only other person he knew on the ship; Lieutenant Kobayashi Beillane. He saluted him.

"Ji cut it out with the saluting nonsense!" he shouted cheerfully, his thin black eyes gleaming. "We're in the bloody mess hall, for goodness' sake! Relax!"

"Easy for you to say," he replied, sitting down after he seated himself beside Jifo with his dinner. "You're not going to be on the same bridge as Lord Vader."

Kobayashi paused, looking at him. "You're what?"

"You heard me," he said, looking panicked. "I can't even eat. What am I going to do? I swear, I'm going to mess something up, and then it'll be the end of me…"

Kobayashi held up his pale-skinned hands for emphasis. "Hey, easy, Ji; it'll be okay. Everything's going to be fine. Lord Vader won't even notice you."

"How would you know? You've never even seen him!"

He shrugged in reply. "It's from what I've heard. I know a few officers who have to work on the bridge with him breathing down their necks. They say that if you do your job quietly and you do it well, he'll never notice you."

Suddenly, another officer (who obviously knew Lieutenant Beillane) came running over. "Hey, Kobayashi!"

Jifo stood up and saluted the officer, who returned his salute.

"Who might you be?" he asked.

"Ensign Jifo Hu, sir." He replied quickly and crisply.

"Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu," he introduced himself courteously before returning his attention to his friend. "Kobayashi, did you hear? We're supposed to be getting some new recruits at this station."

"We are? Poor souls," Kobayashi joked.

Jifo listened vaguely as the two continued their conversation, eventually walking away. If there were new recruits, he had better go investigate it.

Exiting the mess hall and entering the long grey hallways that were all over the ship, Jifo made his way to the hangars. It would be interesting to see new recruits coming; the last time any new recruits arrived in Death Squadron, he was one of them.

A few minutes later, Jifo reached his destination with some other officers, just in time to see the recruits descending down the landing craft's ramp. Most of them looked nervous, but some looked terrified. However, they all went through the typical customs perfectly.

Beside Jifo, a tan skinned man with black hair and dark brown eyes nodded to him, muttering, "Of course; only the best are allowed on the _Executor_."

Jifo looked at the man and then inched away subtly, walking over to Kobayashi, who was still with Lieutenant Commander Chelcu.

"Hey, Ji," Kobayashi whispered to him after Jifo saluted him and his companion. "What were you doing near Captain Mentzer? He's not a pleasant person."

"I didn't even know he was there until he said something." He rolled his bright blue eyes, which shone out of his brown skin.

"What did he say?" Lieutenant Commander Chelcu asked.

"Something about the best people coming to the _Executor_,"

Kobayashi looked over at the man. "Hmm… Well, I wouldn't worry about it."

"What do you mean he's not a pleasant person, anyway?" Jifo returned his gaze to the new recruits.

"It's just what I've heard, but I don't doubt that it's at least partly true," Kobayashi answered, also watching the recruits. "He can really rake you over the coals if you don't do something correctly… he doesn't exactly have a lot of friends on the ship."

"I can't really blame them," Chelcu piped in. "He freaked me out a few days ago… but we really shouldn't be talking about superiors here. Let's go back to the mess hall."

The three walked out of the hangar and returned to the unofficial lounge for the people serving on the _Executor_.

After once again seating themselves in a table in the corner, they continued their conversation.

"What did he do that freaked you out, sir?" Jifo asked curiously.

"Well, he practically glorified Lord Vader for one thing. I think he's mentally unbalanced." Kerrick laughed. "But seriously, he's just a little odd. Maybe it's a façade, but I wouldn't know; nobody really knows the guy."

"Hey, sounds like a job for me!" Kobayashi smiled. Jifo and Kerrick, although they had only just met, exchanged knowing looks; any friend of Kobayashi Beillane knew that he loved being social and making new friends.

"One of these days, someone's going to turn on you, Koby," Jifo warned, addressing him by his nickname. "Not everyone in this galaxy is nice. I would've thought that going through the Imperial Academy and then serving in Death Squadron for three years would teach you that."

"Don't I have a right to be optimistic?" he replied indignantly.

Jifo and Kerrick both rolled their eyes and then sighed.

The door to the mess hall opened to reveal some of the new recruits looking around. Kobayashi smiled and stood up. Jifo and Kerrick hesitated before following him.

Kobayashi walked towards them and then paused. Curious, Jifo and Kerrick looked around their friend to see a man talking to a woman in low tones. The two scanned the room before turning to leave, the door hissing shut behind them.

"Whoa…" Jifo muttered. "Did you _see_ that?"

Kobayashi shook his head slightly and blinked a few times. "New women on the _Executor_? Somebody must have shot me, because I think I'm in paradise!"

Kerrick laughed. "You two think that."

Jifo looked over at his new friend. "Aren't you interested, sir?"

"Not at all," the lieutenant commander replied.

Then Kobayashi laughed, turning to face Jifo. "Kerrick's married, Ji! You should see his wife… Drop. Dead. Gorgeous."

Kerrick raised an eyebrow in reply, causing Kobayashi to hastily say, "Not that I'm interested in _that_, but you can admire from a distance, can't you?"

Kerrick sighed before chuckling. The three walked out of the mess hall and turned the corner around the hall when suddenly Kobayashi stopped dead in his tracks and held his arms out to stop the other two.

"Wha—" Jifo started to say when Kobayashi silenced him with a look before motioning for them to listen.

Off in the distance, heavy footfalls could be heard with the distinct _suck-hiss_ sound of a person breathing through a respirator echoing down the hall. The three paled.

_What do we do?_ Jifo mouthed to the other two. Kerrick straightened his uniform and stood up tall, the other two mimicking him. He then resumed walking ahead with his friends stiffly following him. They reached the end of the hallway and turned left to see Darth Vader himself standing right in front of them.

Jifo felt like he was about to pass out when Kobayashi grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the wall. Darth Vader walked by without sparing them a second glance.

After the sound of his breathing stopped reverberating in the grey passageway, the three breathed deep sighs of relief.

"Were you trying to get yourself killed?" Kobayashi said seriously to Jifo. "When Lord Vader walks in the same area as you, you stay well out of his way!!"

"I… I—I…" Jifo tried to explain, but was trembling too much to do so.

Kerrick looked around before wiping the sweat off his brow. "I think that's enough of a thrill for me today. I'm turning in. I'll see you two later, then?"

"Oh, hey, wait!" Kobayashi called out as his friend turned to leave. "Are you going to be on the bridge tomorrow?"

"Of course I am," Kerrick responded.

"So is Ensign Hu!" Kobayashi said, adopting the typical military protocol since they were out in the open. Then he lowered his voice, saying, "You'll keep an eye on him for me, won't you?"

Lieutenant Commander Chelcu nodded, smiling reassuringly, before entering a turbolift.

Kobayashi turned to Jifo. "Well, I'm going to turn in, too. Good luck tomorrow."

Jifo nodded and walked off, heading to his own quarters. Tomorrow was going to be interesting.

* * *

Darth Vader walked gloomily towards his meditation chamber.

New recruits were always a nuisance. They always asked more questions than they needed to and were always in the way. To top it off, they seemed insistent on irritating him in any way possible because they either wanted to behold and admire the great Darth Vader or they were scared to death of him.

Personally, Vader didn't care if they were terrified of him. In fact, he preferred it that way; it made life a lot easier because it meant they would obey his every command for fear of death. On the other hand, their constant trembling and peeking around corners to see if he was there was extremely vexing.

Vader finally reached his meditation chamber and exhaled slowly. Tomorrow was hours away… he had absolutely nothing to do right now.

_Might as well meditate on getting out of this thing_… he thought dully.

On every possible occasion, Vader always tried to access the Force so he could heal his lungs and get out of his own personal prison, his suit and respirator. Being able to breathe on his own was something he constantly craved.

He had gotten close a few times. He had opened his meditation chamber without the respirator on and managed to breathe perfectly fine for the first few seconds… but the Dark Side feeds on anger and hatred, not on joy, which would be the next feeling he would have coursing through his body… so inevitably, he would start suffocating again before retreating into the confines of his chamber.

Tonight he was going to try harder. Focus more. There had to be _some_ way of doing it…

As he felt the Force rippling around him, he remembered the times when he could access its powers easily. When he was younger… far, far younger…

In his mind's eye, he could almost smell the sweet aroma of food, flowers, even exhaust from speeders. He could almost taste the delights of freshly dried chokie…

The longing made him feel so empty. It was like a deaf musician aching to hear his composition again… it was just an empty echo in his mind.

Despair flooded Vader, but he pushed it away; he _was_ going to find a way. After all, he never gave up in the past; why should he start now?

Vader smiled, even though it hurt. Yes, when he was Anakin Skywalker, even though that person had been weak, it was enjoyable to drive some people—particularly the Jedi Council—up the wall.

So now he was longing to be the very person he destroyed… what an irony.

Vader sighed. So this was his destiny… to forever wish for something that would never bless him again…

…Something that was Palpatine's fault…

…He would get his revenge.

_Why worry about revenge? It will leave you emptier than before._

Vader's head shot up. Where had _that_ come from? That voice…

_Will revenge help you get out of your situation?_ The voice asked in the back of his mind.

_Of course it will! _Vader replied. _I will show Palpatine that I am not to be toyed with! I will take his throne and become Emperor!_

_Then what? _The voice asked, sounding genuinely curious. _What will you do after you're at the top?_

_That's none of your business,_ Vader snapped, although he really didn't have an answer for the voice.

Darth looked away, slightly astonished at where his thoughts were going. If the darkness wouldn't help him… maybe the other… maybe the light…

_NO!_ He shouted at himself.

Still…

Sighing, Vader thought about it for a fleeting moment. Perhaps if he just used it for an instant it wouldn't be so bad…

Timidly, he sought out the light. It was only an experiment…

Suddenly, he felt himself being bathed in warmth.

Startled, Vader let go of the Force, physically jumping back…

That's when he realized he wasn't using his respirator.

He almost expected to feel everything spinning as he ran out of air, but he didn't feel anything. Nothing happened. Curious, Vader looked down at his respirator to see that it wasn't operating. It wasn't even _on_. What in the blazes happened?

Just after that question went through his head, he went into a world of pain. It was nothing compared to being set on fire like on Mustafar, but it still _hurt_.

Vader moaned and fell to his knees, hearing his body collide with the floor more so than feeling it. Pain washed over him, and _then_ the spinning came.

* * *

Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu relaxed on his cot, looking at a holo of his family. It had been taken half a year ago when he last had some time off to see them.

They were outside in a park that was near their house. To Kerrick's left was his carbon-copy of himself: his blonde-haired, blue-eyed older brother, Numm—who shared their large house with them—and Numm's wife Myri. Then to his right was his own beautiful brunette, deep blue-eyed wife, Lynorri. In front of them were their children; Numm and Myri's children, their fourteen-standard-year-old daughter Delaana, wearing a pale blue dress and a black string choker around her neck, and ten-standard-year-old Nayru, whose glowing smile was only bested by her long, curly golden hair. Then there were his and Lynorri's children: their three daughters, sixteen-standard-year-old Anjylle, twelve-standard-year-old Sei, and nine-standard-year-old Kaia; in front of them sat five-standard-year-old Nash, Kerrick and Lynorri's only son.

Kerrick smiled fondly as he looked at his large family, smiling without a care in the world. He missed them so much…

Suddenly he heard a loud thump from the level above. He jumped, startled, and then looked at the ceiling for a while, listening. After hearing nothing for a few minutes, he rolled his eyes, sighing, "Party animals,"

At that, he put the holo down, turned off the lights and went to bed.

* * *

Even though Death Squadron was docked, Outpost 37752 was mainly teeming with personnel from other squadrons and locations. There were so many people that no one noticed a lone man stumbling out of the _Executor_ in Darth Vader's armor.

The sandy blonde-haired boy looked around, panting for air, as sweat trickled down his face. He managed to limp over toward a room that seemed vacant, entering after the door opened. Inside, hundreds of clothes were being washed; he was in the laundry.

Moaning in pain, he slumped against the wall and slid to the floor. The clothes he was wearing were so _heavy_…

Looking up, the boy saw Imperial uniforms being washed. A small smile made its way across his face. _That_ would work.

* * *

_Beep, beep, beep_…

Lieutenant Beillane growled at his alarm, but it didn't help. It continued to make that blasted racket.

Grumbling under his breath, Kobayashi slammed down on the alarm and got dressed quickly. He washed his face and then exited his small quarters, wandering towards the mess hall before he started his busy schedule. As junior officer of the deck, he already had his platter full, but he was also the unofficial officer in charge of morale among other things, so he had a _lot_ of work to do on Darth Vader's flagship, especially with new recruits.

Kobayashi entered the mess hall, hearing loud talking the moment he did. Over in the corner he saw Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu eating solemnly. Nearby sat Ensign Jifo Hu, whose normally dark face was awfully pale.

_He's probably nervous about being near Lord Vader,_ Kobayashi thought. Quite frankly, he couldn't blame him; even he, optimistic Kobayashi Beillane, was terrified of Darth Vader. Kobayashi normally tried to look for the good in people, but he never even considered Vader even being _born_ with any.

Walking over to his friend, he decided to worry about dealing with the new recruits later; it looked like Ji needed all the help he could get.

"Hey, Ji," he said in a friendly tone. Jifo didn't hear him.

"Hello-o…" Kobayashi waved his hand in his friend's face. "Is anyone home?"

Jifo started and then looked up, recognizing him. "Kobayashi! Sorry, I didn't notice you…"

"It's all right, Ji, just relax," Kobayashi told him as he sat down across from him. "Don't worry about Lord Vader; he won't even _notice_ you."

"I hope so…" Jifo trailed off as he looked down at his food and picked at it aimlessly with his utensil.

Kobayashi patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. "I _know_ so,"

Jifo smiled in return and the two had a pleasant conversation over their breakfast before Jifo excused himself to go to the bridge. Kerrick passed just after Jifo left, so Kobayashi hopped up and walked alongside him.

"Hey, Kerrick, why so forlorn?" he asked him.

"Oh, nothing," Kerrick replied evenly. "I suppose I miss my family on occasion… but I'll live with it. I have for five years. I'll see you at lunch."

Kerrick picked up his pace and walked ahead. Kobayashi paused, putting his hands on his hips. _Everyone's so tense,_ he mulled over in his head. _It's probably just a phase. Now, to find those new recruits…

* * *

_

Kerrick sighed as he walked out of the mess hall and headed towards the bridge. Kobayashi meant well, but he just didn't want to be around anybody; he missed his family so much it hurt… but he had a duty to do, and he would do it to the best of his ability. His family would just have to wait for another half-year.

After reaching the bridge, Kerrick noticed people bustling around a little more tense than usual. Was Lord Vader in a bad mood?

Kerrick looked around the bridge, but he didn't see Vader anywhere. Captain Mentzer walked up to him.

"Lieutenant Commander Chelcu, make sure all personnel are aboard this Destroyer in ten minutes. We're leaving at 0700."

Kerrick nodded curtly. "Yes, sir,"

The captain walked off, attending to other duties. Still curious as to what was going on, Kerrick stopped a lieutenant on his way to his station.

"Do you mind telling me why everyone is so tense?" he asked the man.

"Lord Vader hasn't been seen since last night, sir," the lieutenant replied nervously. "No one's heard from him, either. At first Captain Mentzer thought he was meditating or something, but when he didn't show up this morning like he normally does… well, people are just a little confused. We don't know what's going on. That's why we're leaving earlier than scheduled. The Captain's going to call Lord Vader to the bridge when we leave."

Kerrick nodded and let the lieutenant continue with his duties. Darth Vader had not been seen in ten hours? Vader normally spent much of his time alone, but he _always_ came to the bridge every morning to check up on everything. For him to break that schedule was very odd indeed.

Pushing it out of his mind for the moment, Kerrick went off to follow through with his orders from Captain Mentzer.

* * *

**Like it? Yes? No? Please review!**


	2. Outpost 37752

**Wow, thanks for all the reviews! Here's the next chapter!**

* * *

Twenty-seven hours. It had been _twenty-seven hours_.

Although he was terrified of the man, Kerrick was still worried.

When they had first left the outpost, Captain Mentzer had contacted Darth Vader to update him on the situation. They never got a reply. Since Vader _hated_ being disturbed against his wishes, no one dared bother him any more, but after twenty-seven hours of no contact whatsoever, everyone knew something had to be wrong.

Kerrick was sitting at his post on the bridge looking over information, but his mind was on the situation with their missing commander-in-chief. Captain Mentzer paced the bridge a little nervously, but he tried not to show it. Instead, he let out his stress by barking orders at poor lower-ranking officers who were just trying to deal with the situation in their own way.

Suddenly, Mentzer decided to turn on Kerrick. "Lieutenant Commander Chelcu!"

Kerrick stood up immediately. "Yes, sir?"

"Take Ensign Hu and go to Lord Vader's quarters. See if he's in there. Make sure to try contacting him first before entering. Get going!"

Kerrick rushed off with poor Jifo tripping over himself to keep up. After they exited the bridge and turned the corner, Kerrick immediately stopped for Jifo to catch up.

"What are we going to do?" Jifo panted. "We're not actually going to _barge in_ on Darth Vader, are we?"

"We're going to have to do _something_," Kerrick responded. "Lord Vader would not disappear off the face of the _Executor_ for more than ten hours at the _most_. Ten hours was his record, and that was for meditating. Everyone knew he was in his quarters because he specifically said he was not to be disturbed… but we didn't get any of that this time. He just went to his quarters for the night and then vanished. We all know that he wouldn't oversleep… in fact, we don't even know if he _does_ sleep!"

Jifo winced, obviously thinking of something. "Is it true? The rumors about Lord Vader…"

Jifo trailed off, gripping his throat and looking at Kerrick. Kerrick sighed and nodded, "Yes, he has been known to strangle his officers when they do something wrong. He killed Captain Hooge for his… ah, _miscalculation_."

"How recently was that?" Jifo asked in fear.

"A month ago," Kerrick answered. "Captain Hooge was certain that he could stop a fleeing Rebel fleet if he surrounded them with Death Squadron. So, he ordered a quick hyperspace jump, that way his ship would be ahead of the rest and he could seal off any escape. However, he miscalculated and sent part of his ship plummeting right into part of _ours_! Lord Vader was… less than pleased."

Jifo shuddered, and then the two resumed their walk to Vader's quarters. Kerrick took out his comlink, gulped, and then keyed in for Vader's channel.

"Lord Vader?" he spoke into the comlink, waiting for a response. "Lord Vader, this is Lieutenant Commander Chelcu."

Silence.

"Are you sure he isn't just busy or something?" Jifo stammered.

"He wouldn't be _just busy_, Ensign," Kerrick replied, somewhat irritated at the situation. _He_ didn't want to get strangled because Vader didn't want to be disturbed!

Kerrick tried contacting Vader a few more times before giving up and walking up to the door that led into his quarters. Hesitating for a fraction of a second, Kerrick opened the door, only to reveal that the room was completely empty.

_That's odd…_ he thought.

"Does this mean we can leave now?" Jifo asked with a trembling tone.

Finally exasperated and panicked at the entire problem, Kerrick whipped around. "Go back to the bridge and report to Captain Mentzer that Lord Vader isn't in his quarters, then get a backbone! I want troopers searching for Lord Vader all over this ship!"

Jifo saluted and rushed off. Kerrick sighed. He didn't know why he was so stressed… even if Darth Vader really _was_ missing, he wouldn't feel this stressed…

* * *

Jifo ran down the corridors towards the bridge. Stress and panic filled him as he drew closer. He knew he was scared of Vader, but why did he feel so overwhelmed?! He could understand his poor superior officer getting exasperated with him! What was _wrong_ with him?!

Jifo mentally swatted himself before entering the bridge. "Captain Mentzer, Lord Vader didn't respond to his comlink and he isn't in his quarters!"

The captain looked over calmly, but sweat gleamed on his face. Why was everyone so freaked out?

"Get some troopers dispatched to locate Lord Vader," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," Jifo said automatically before rushing off once more.

* * *

A part of being the unofficial officer in charge of morale was to make sure what the mood was on the ship.

Well, the mood was pretty blasted clear: panic.

For some reason, the entire ship was in a state of panic. According to some, it had started in the middle of the night. From what Kobayashi had gathered, people were waking up in the middle of the night feeling scared out of their wits for some sort of reason. Many others felt confusion or worry and couldn't explain why. Kobayashi _himself_ felt stressed, and even _he_ didn't know why. It had to be _something_; these emotions didn't come from nowhere. Perhaps it was some sort of assignment?

Kobayashi did know (as well as the rest of the _Executor_) that Darth Vader was missing. They had searched the entire ship and couldn't find him at all. Still, that was no reason for everyone to be in such a state.

Kobayashi sighed as he wandered the halls. As he turned the corner, he caught sight of Kerrick.

"Lieutenant Commander Chelcu!" he called out.

Kerrick turned around and saw Kobayashi running up to him. "Yes, what is it?"

"Sir, may I inquire as to what in the blazes is going on?" Kobayashi asked.

"We finally got through to Lord Vader's comlink." Kerrick explained.

Kobayashi blinked, waiting for him to continue. "…So, this is a good thing, right? I thought you had already tried Lord Vader's comlink."

"We _did_, but we never got any sort of response," Kerrick went on. "This most recent time, we got something. It wasn't Lord Vader… in fact, it wasn't even a person. Instead, we got sounds. We heard people talking in the distance and feet shuffling. We heard a loud voice over some sort of comm. system, too. When we listened hard enough to what the voice said, we realized that it was announcing something about a ship leaving from Deck 3, air lock Besh."

"Deck 3, air lock Besh?" Kobayashi repeated. "What is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Kerrick looked grim. "Deck 3, air lock Besh was at Outpost 37752, the station we left about eighteen hours ago."

Kobayashi gaped at his friend. _"What?"_

Kerrick nodded. "You heard me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've been ordered to take the _Accuser_ and return to Outpost 37752 to search for any clues as to what's going on."

At that, Kerrick turned and walked off towards a hangar that would take him to the _Accuser_. Kobayashi sighed and headed to his quarters.

On the way, he passed by the medical wing and entered after seeing them half-dragging a pale-looking Imperial.

"What happened?" he asked as he helped the doctors lay the Imperial on a bed.

"Well, to put it bluntly, the guy practically had a nervous breakdown." One of the doctors explained. "What do you have those people doing out there, anyway?"

"I don't know what's going on," Kobayashi responded, worried. "I didn't expect it to get _this_ bad, though."

After making sure the Imperial was alright, Kobayashi left and went to his quarters. He collapsed on his cot after the door hissed shut.

"Oh, what is going on?" he muttered to himself.

The longer he lied there, the more he started to notice that his insides felt like they were churning. Everything started spinning. Kobayashi closed his eyes, moaning as a wave of nausea came over him.

In the middle of all the chaos, he could see shapes and lights in his mind's eye. People started to form from blotches, walking back and forth. They were all taller than him for some reason. No, they weren't taller; he was _shorter_. Noises filled his eardrums and multicolored holographic signs hovered about, advertising restaurants and shops.

A sign was floating in the middle of a large open area. Some people were stopping and looking at it. Kobayashi turned his head to read what it said, but things were still a little hazy. After a few minutes, the edges cleared.

Kobayashi realized he was out of breath.

The sign said _Deck 3, air lock Besh: Occupied. Status: Boarding_

"Lieutenant Beillane!"

Kobayashi's eyes popped open and he realized he was in the medical wing. Jifo was standing over him, looking concerned.

Kobayashi stuttered, "Wha… where am I?"

"You're in the medical wing, sir," Jifo replied. "People heard you yelling in your quarters and when they got there you passed out."

"I—I what?!" Kobayashi exclaimed, bolting up.

"Lieutenant Beillane, you need to lie down!" a doctor said as he rushed over to push Kobayashi back down.

"But—but I… what are you—I didn't pass out!" Kobayashi yelled, panicking. "I… I saw Outpost 37752!"

"You saw _what_?" both the doctor and Jifo asked.

"I…" Kobayashi trailed off. What had happened? He was lying on his cot… then he felt sick to his stomach… then he saw the outpost. Why in the blazes did he imagine the outpost of all things? And why was it all so… odd and blurred? Why was he so short and low to the ground? "How long have I been out?"

"Seventeen hours, sir," Jifo answered.

"_Seventeen_? You're joking!"

Jifo shook his head.

As the doctor closed the curtain to Kobayashi's bed so the two could talk in private, Kobayashi and Jifo both dropped Imperial protocol.

"Ji, what in the blazes is going on? What's happened in the past seventeen hours? Is anyone else hurt? Where are we?" Kobayashi rambled on before Jifo held up his hands.

"Whoa, one at a time, Koby," Jifo interrupted. "I—I don't know what's going on… quite frankly, I was brought in here because I collapsed on the bridge. Captain Mentzer is confined to quarters; Commander Yamamura had to take over command of the _Executor_ until further notice!"

"Why is this happening?" Kobayashi asked no one in particular.

Jifo shrugged. "I don't know. But in the past seventeen hours, almost a third of the crew has been through this wing! We've been floating in the same plot of space ever since Kerrick had to take the _Accuser_ back to Outpost 37752."

"Kerrick!" Kobayashi remembered. "Has there been any word from him?"

"He reported last an hour ago from what I heard," Jifo replied. "He said he just found Lord Vader's comlink, but there was no sign of Lord Vader himself."

"He found his _comlink_ on the _outpost_?" Kobayashi whispered. "But Lord Vader would have no reason to get off of his ship! He normally prefers to stay on board from what I hear!"

"I know," Jifo folded his arms. "That's what's got everyone worried. We don't know what could have possibly happened."

A doctor peeked in. "Ensign Hu, you're going to have to leave now. You're confined to quarters until further notice. Lieutenant Beillane, I suggest you get some rest."

Jifo left after trying to give Kobayashi a reassuring smile. The doctor then closed the curtains again.

Kobayashi lied there for a while, wondering what was going on with the crew of the _Executor_. He wondered if the rest of the fleet even knew what was going on. Then his mind wandered off towards the outpost once again. Why had he seen that?! Why had he passed out?

It occurred to Kobayashi that he was sitting on the floor, slumped against a wall in his little "vision" of Outpost 37752. _That explains why everything seemed so tall_… he thought.

He closed his eyes and then heard the sounds of the outpost again. Startled, Kobayashi opened his eyes and heard echoes of the sounds fade away.

Then, suddenly filled with curiosity since he now had nothing better to do, Kobayashi closed his eyes once again to see what would happen.

Outpost 37752 rematerialized once again in his mind's eye, but the people passing by were different. When he looked over at the sign in the middle of the plaza, it had different information written on it. Deck 3, air lock Besh was now vacant instead of occupied. Obviously the ship that had been boarding left; time had actually passed!

Kobayashi knew that this definitely was out of the ordinary. He tried to get up, but he realized he couldn't move. Then, suddenly, his world started to move on its own. He grew taller; no, he didn't grow taller… he was standing up!

Without even moving his legs, Kobayashi started stumbling over towards the plaza, his view darting back and forth…

… Which was when it finally dawned on Kobayashi that he wasn't even looking from his perspective at all.

A distinct _suck-hiss_ reverberated in the back of his mind. Then, a timid voice called out:

"_Hello?"_

Kobayashi's eyes opened and he fell out of bed, softly groaning in pain when he landed on his back.

The lights in the medical wing were dimmed; it was the night shift. Obviously, Kobayashi had been unconscious for some time, even though it only seemed like a few minutes.

Kobayashi was still completely aware of what he heard in his head, though.

"Lord Vader?" he called out softly. "Where are you, my lord? I thought I heard you."

Silence was the only reply.

Sighing, Kobayashi sat back in bed, mulling over what had transpired in his head. Maybe he was just going nuts…

Shaking his head slowly and lying down, Kobayashi closed his eyes and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Kerrick looked around the outpost aimlessly, not knowing what else he could possibly find. They had been searching for _hours_, almost an entire _day_. The only thing that proved Vader had even set foot on the outpost was his comlink, and it was found just outside of the air lock where the _Executor _had been docked.

The crowds had dispersed since it was three in the morning. Some people went scurrying from place to place to leave for early morning appointments of some sort, but it was relatively still. Kerrick's troopers dragged their feet from one side of the outpost to the other, searching for any sort of clue as to what was going on.

After what seemed an eternity, Kerrick finally decided to call off the investigation. He recalled his troops and began to head back to the _Accuser_.

On his way, he noticed someone sitting in a dark corner. It was a small figure, looking thin but muscular nonetheless. The silhouette stayed motionless, watching him. Kerrick stopped walking and watched it for a while before heading towards it.

As he drew closer, he could see some bits of the silhouette. It was a Human boy, probably no older than twenty-two or twenty-three. The boy was thin and looked a little ill. His deep blue eyes pierced into Kerrick. He had a mane of thick, wavy, sandy-blonde hair that hung halfway down his neck. The boy was wearing an Imperial lieutenant's uniform.

"You," Kerrick said, pointing toward the boy. "Lieutenant. Come here."

The boy didn't move. He stayed completely motionless, not even blinking.

A little perplexed and more than unsettled by the odd person, Kerrick took a hesitant step forward, motioning for some stormtroopers to come over. Half a dozen rushed to his side.

The boy stayed put.

"I said come here, lieutenant," Kerrick repeated. "That's an order."

Still, he didn't make any motions. Eventually, Kerrick told the troopers to grab him and drag him over, which they did with little effort. The boy looked like he was a rag doll letting them pull him around. His expressive eyes showed panic. He obviously didn't know what he did wrong.

Kerrick shook his head; this boy couldn't be an Imperial… but that brought the question: How did he get a lieutenant's uniform?

Suddenly, the boy's head jerked up and he looked Kerrick directly in the eye. For a fleeting instant, Kerrick could have sworn he heard Vader's breathing in his head. The boy's eyes narrowed for a moment and then he lowered his gaze.

"Who are you?" Kerrick asked the boy. He got no response. "Answer me!"

The boy merely stared at him, looking confused.

"Don't you speak Basic?" Kerrick looked at him incredulously. "Perhaps Huttese? _Anything?_"

The boy opened his mouth and Kerrick waited expectantly but the only noise the boy made was a moan. He obviously was in some sort of pain.

Sighing in exasperation, Kerrick ordered the troopers to bring the boy along. They all boarded the _Accuser_ and left Outpost 37752 far behind them, jumping into hyperspace so they could rendezvous with Death Squadron.

* * *

**A little cliffie there, but I promise to update soon! Please review!**


	3. Power Failure

**Due to startling incentive from the dastardly KungFu Jedi and the excitement from my other reviews, I did a speed-of-light update!! :-D If only I could do that with my other stories... **

* * *

"I'm telling you, I've never seen anything like it in my entire medical career!"

Kobayashi listened intently to the conversation the doctors were having.

The _Accuser_ had rejoined the fleet five hours ago and Kerrick had reported that besides finding Darth Vader's comlink, there had been no other signs of him being there. However, he had found a suspicious-looking boy so he brought him along. Supposedly, they were going to bring the boy to the medical wing because he had been showing signs of illness.

The door to the medical wing opened as the doctors complained about the odd incidents with the crew of the _Executor_. Oddly enough, just after Kerrick's ship arrived, the symptoms spread to the rest of Death Squadron and worsened on the _Executor_; over half the crew had been in the med-wing at some point.

Stormtroopers walked in, flanking the door. Kerrick followed them, half carrying the boy that the entire ship had heard about through the door. At first, the boy seemed to be just as described: timid and quiet. Then, all of a sudden, as if he just realized that he was in the med-wing, the boy panicked.

What happened next was astonishing to everybody in the room. Any glass shattered, immediately sending shards flying in all directions as people ducked under beds and desks. While all of that went on, the boy flailed and tried to run out of the room as Kerrick and the two troopers wrestled with him. Kobayashi was hiding under his own bed watching the whole incident. A doctor rushed over with a sedative, but got kicked squarely in the chest by the boy. Kerrick backhanded him and sent him spinning to the ground, but he quickly recovered.

Kobayashi did notice one thing: the boy wanted nothing to do with hurting anyone… he just wanted to get out. He was in such a state that he hit anybody or anything that got in his way, but his main purpose was to get out of the med-wing.

The three Imperials finally managed to restrain him but they still couldn't knock him out.

Kobayashi peeked out from under his bed. "Is it safe?"

Another patient laughed shakily. "I'm not sure."

After what seemed an eternity, a doctor finally managed to coax the boy into sitting on one of the beds and not trying to get out as fast as he could. Kerrick ordered the stormtroopers to watch him and stun him if he tried to get up. The boy seemed to understand that he was cornered but in no way did it calm him down.

Kobayashi hesitantly walked toward the bed where the boy sat, which was right beside his own. "Hello, there,"

The stormtroopers exchanged looks but let Kobayashi get near the boy. The boy looked at him with eyes filled with trepidation. His body was visibly trembling.

"Hey, it's okay," Kobayashi said in a soothing tone, although he himself was feeling terrified… though he didn't know why. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The boy watched him, saying nothing.

"My name is Kobayashi Beillane," Kobayashi introduced himself slowly. "What's yours?"

A blank stare was all he got in response.

"Uh… so, I guess you don't like the medical wing?" Kobayashi went on, waiting for any sort of reaction. "Quite frankly it always looked a little bland to me… you know, white walls and ceiling with a grey floor? It's an eye sore… um… but the way you redecorated it… it sure added some color!"

Kobayashi gave a shaky chuckle and looked around the room at the boy's "redecorating" skills. Different colored medicines were spilled all over the place and dripping down the walls as maintenance droids cleaned up the mess.

Kobayashi felt his eyes stinging. Completely bewildered, he touched his face and felt tears leak out of his eyes. "What in the…"

Hearing movement beside him, Kobayashi turned and saw the boy sitting on the bed with his legs now tucked under his chin, tears of terror leaking out of his eyes.

Kobayashi was getting irritated with the whole situation; he was terrified and he didn't know why, he was nervous and he could somewhat understand that, but it was still more than he liked, and on to top it off, he was now _crying_ and he didn't have a _clue_ why that was happening!

Kobayashi growled in exasperation before collapsing once again on his own bed as a doctor walked over to the boy with a needle in her hand. The boy immediately tensed.

"It's okay," she said in a soft tone. "Don't worry about a thing. This won't hurt a bit. I'm just going to get a blood sample, okay? Don't worry about it… everything's going to be fine…"

The boy had a look saying that everyone would _not_ be fine, but for some reason—although it might have had to do with her friendly gesture of putting a reassuring arm around him—he didn't do anything. The needle went into his left arm, with him wincing, turning a sickly green, and looking away. The doctor noticed and worked as quickly as she could without hurting him. Within the minute, she was finished.

The doctor walked away to get the results. In the meantime, the boy was to be taken down to the detention block. Kobayashi, although wary of the boy flailing around and hitting someone again, felt sorry for him.

After the boy had been escorted out (without an issue, for the boy seemed more than happy to leave), Kobayashi looked over at Kerrick, who had remained.

"Who is _that_?" he said when his friend walked over to his bed.

Kerrick shook his head. "I don't know. I found him at the outpost, more silent than space itself. I don't know if he doesn't understand us or if he just won't talk… but the interrogation should decide that."

"You're going to _interrogate_ him?" Kobayashi asked in surprise.

"I've got no choice," Kerrick replied. "I really hate to do it to someone so young, but he won't _talk_. If he could just say _something_, I would at least have an idea as to what to do with him… but that fiasco with him pretty much trying to take out the entire med-wing was enough to tell me that he's too dangerous to be left outside of a cell. What are you doing in here, anyway?"

"Supposedly I passed out," Kobayashi shrugged. "I don't remember a thing of it. They're going to confine me to my quarters for about a day tomorrow.

"Half the crew's been through here with some sort of problem; nervous breakdown, collapsing from exhaustion, migraines due to stress… nobody knows what's going on. Here's the weird part: when you showed back up with the _Accuser_, the entire Death Squadron started having the same problems!"

"The _Accuser_ had the same problems as well," Kerrick informed him. "It was baffling the doctors on board; the moment we left the outpost, everyone started having issues of some sort; the _entire crew_ went through that med-wing… every last one of them! Even _I_ went in there for a migraine!"

Kobayashi leaned back against the pillows on his bed. "Maybe it was something on the outpost that spread?"

Kerrick sighed. "I haven't a clue, Koby. The doctors say they've found _nothing_. No bacteria, nothing. They don't know what's causing it."

Suddenly, the lights flickered, faded out, and then came back to life. Kerrick stood up immediately.

"What was that?" Kobayashi asked his friend.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out," Kerrick responded, running out of the room.

* * *

Zhymmia Kenzee watched intently as two stormtroopers escorted a young Human boy down the hall of the detention block. As the officer in charge of that cell block, Zhymmia had to know who was going in and out.

After the stormtroopers had put the boy in his cell and closed the door behind them they both sighed and took off their helmets, looking over at another officer in the room.

"Lieutenant Reukli, you're going to have trouble with this one." One of the troopers said.

Lieutenant Reukli, who had been guiding Zhymmia through her duties since she was a new recruit, put his datapad down and looked at them. "What do you mean? It seemed easy enough for you two to get him in his cell. He didn't even fight back."

The other trooper looked at him. "Well he may not have given us a fight now, sir, but he sure caused a raucous in the medical wing. The entire place is wrecked!"

Reukli crossed his arms. "How did he manage that?"

Both troopers shrugged. "We don't know. He started flailing around like crazy and everything in the room shattered."

Zhymmia joined Lieutenant Reukli. "Shattered?"

The troopers nodded. "Yes, ma'am,"

Lieutenant Reukli waved his hand dismissively. "Well, he may have caused problems there but he's in a cell now, and he's schedule to be interrogated within the hour by Commander Arkana. There's nothing to worry about; go back to your posts, troopers."

They saluted Lieutenant Reukli who returned the salute before walking by Zhymmia and repeating the act. Zhymmia returned their salute and they entered a turbolift, exiting the room.

Zhymmia looked over at her superior officer. "What is he, a Rebel?"

The lieutenant shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I don't know. Nobody does. But we'll find out soon enough; Commander Arkana's pretty ruthless with her interrogations."

* * *

Within the cell, the boy looked around at his new surroundings. It was a very small room with the floor raised in the corner to substitute as a bed. The walls and ceiling were grey and the floor was black.

Bored out of his skull, the boy leaned against the door. He wanted to get out. He didn't want to stay in the room! There had to be some sort of way out…

Almost as if answering his wish, the boy could almost _see_ a tangled bunch of wires through the wall. In his mind's eye it was like a cutaway from a blueprint. The boy held his hands in the air and started twisting them around, imagining them clipping and tearing certain wires, which they started to do.

One wire, which was yellow, started to glow blue, and the boy saw ray shields appear in his head. He nodded to himself; if the door opened, that wire would activate automatic ray shields. He twisted his hands to where he tore the wire without too many sparks flying and starting a fire.

Another wire, a green one, showed him that it opened the door. _Oh, I get it_, he thought to himself before cutting off the current going through the wire. Next, he reversed the current, tilting his head to the side. This game was fun!!

The door to the room opened and the boy stepped out stretching his arms. What was he going to do now?

"Hey! You there!"

The boy turned and saw a woman with tan skin and light brown hair running towards him. Confused, the boy looked around. What was that woman doing, anyway?

"Don't move!" she shouted, pointing something at him.

Bewildered, the boy looked around again. What did "don't move" mean?

A man with red hair and green eyes ran up behind her, his hands also pointing something at him. "Hold your hands over your head."

The boy stared at them, not knowing what to do. Who were these strange people?

The two started to advance on him threateningly. Scared, he took off in the opposite direction as blaster fire was heard behind him.

He ran down the corridor and took a sharp left, running right into a turbolift just as the doors were closing. The turbolift sped upwards.

Terrified, the boy sat in the corner and tucked his knees under his chin, waiting to see what would happen next. Fear muddled everything in his head, so he tried to release it. Then, suddenly, the turbolift stopped dead in its tracks.

The power had gone out.

* * *

Many, many light years away, Obi-Wan Kenobi sat on his bed, his mouth half open from shock. Was that a _Force-sensitive_ he sensed? Someone was accessing the Force like crazy, _that_ much was for sure. It was almost instinctive!

Obi-Wan couldn't tell who it was… it had a familiar tint to it, but the emotions muddled it up so much it was practically foreign.

* * *

Kobayashi groaned as he tried to open the door to the medical wing. He was just exiting to go to his quarters when the power, which had been flickering, finally died out. People were trapped in the medical wing and without life support functioning properly; they were starting to run out of oxygen. He _had_ to open that door!

Other people were running around trying to help everyone else or trying to assess what had gone wrong.

"Goodness… this… day… just keeps… getting… better and… better!" Kobayashi said between pushing and pulling to get the door open.

It had been about three days since they had left Outpost 37752. Everything had seemed normal then! One thing was for sure: If Kobayashi got out of this situation alive he was going to blow that outpost up!

"_Warning: Oxygen level below twenty percent. Please activate life support at once."_

The emergency computer voice had been repeating that oxygen levels were decreasing for the past twenty minutes.

Kobayashi finally got some leeway with the door. He managed to open it far enough to where he could stick his hands in to pull harder.

After doing so, he opened it halfway, far enough for people to squeeze through one at a time.

Kobayashi collapsed against the wall and sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. This was _insane_. There was _no_ logical explanation to what had been going on for the past three days!

Before the whole situation with the power going out had started, one of the doctors had called Kerrick, Lieutenant Commander Carh'la Tade, Commanders Jaku Wynnopin and Rowan Chupa-Pau, and Captain Mentzer to the med-wing. Off in the distance, Kobayashi saw Kerrick, Commander Chupa-Pau, Lieutenant Commander Tade, and Captain Mentzer running towards them.

"Is everyone alright?" Lieutenant Commander Tade asked between her gasps of air.

They all nodded, one doctor looking grim and pale. Kerrick and his fellow lieutenant commander walked over to help the patients while Captain Mentzer and Commander Chupa-Pau went over to the doctor in question.

"What did you call us for?" the commander asked.

Kobayashi muttered under his breath, "The power is out, life support's not running, we're all going to die, and they're talking calmly about something that a doctor was going to tell them _before_ this incident started?"

"I know the identity of that boy that Lieutenant Commander Chelcu brought in," the doctor answered.

"We don't have time for this!" Captain Mentzer bellowed, being the voice of reason.

"Sir, it's very important that I tell you this," the doctor interrupted, sounding urgent. "I ran the blood test again and again on different computers, using different systems, but I got the same result every time."

"Well?" Captain Mentzer pressed impatiently.

"Sir… it's… it's Lord Vader," the doctor managed to get out.

For what seemed an eternity, it was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. Kobayashi stood flabbergasted with the rest who heard the doctor.

That boy was _Darth Vader_? How could that even be _possible_? How could it even be _theoretical_?

Suddenly, the power came back on, just as abruptly as it had turned off. Everyone looked around and they saw the boy standing off in the distance, watching them curiously.

"U-uh…" Kobayashi stammered uncertainly.

The boy stared at them before turning to walk away.

"Wait!" Kobayashi called, getting a dirty look from everyone in the corridor.

The boy turned around halfway, not understanding Kobayashi's meaning.

Kobayashi ran over with Kerrick chasing after him. Startled, the boy took a step back and the power began to flicker once again.

Kobayashi and Kerrick both stopped dead in their tracks as the realization hit them.

It was _him_. It had been him the whole time!

Ever since Vader had gone missing, there had been problems on the ship…

Kobayashi blinked, so stunned he wasn't able to do anything else.

The power going out, the objects in the med-wing breaking, everyone feeling scared or nervous or stressed…

_It was all him!_

The power stopped flickering and Vader paused, looking uncertain. He obviously couldn't understand any of them through speech, but he seemed to understand body language pretty well.

Mentzer was gaping at him, making him feel uneasy. Kobayashi quickly stepped forward, holding his hands up, palms out.

"It's okay," he said calmly. "We're not going to hurt you."

"Lieutenant Beillane, how can you address Lord Vader in such a way?!" Captain Mentzer bellowed.

That was a costly mistake. Terrified at the noise, Vader jumped back and the power died out once more. They heard Vader take off, running in the opposite direction. Kobayashi yelled out, running after him.

"Wait!" he shouted.

Vader turned the corner, Kobayashi hot on his trail, with poor Kerrick doing his best to keep up with the two.

Although Vader was shaky on his feet, he still knew how to run quickly. Kobayashi started falling behind.

Fortunately for Kobayashi and Kerrick, Vader turned a corner that led to a dead end, since all the doors in the area were sealed shut and couldn't open automatically with the power down. Kobayashi and Kerrick walked slowly towards Vader, holding their hands out reassuringly.

"I'm going to kill you for this; you do know that, right?" Kerrick whispered to his friend.

Kobayashi didn't move his gaze from the frightened Darth Vader. "If he doesn't kill us first,"

Behind them, Lieutenant Commander Tade and Commander Chupa-Pau ran up, panting.

"_Warning: Oxygen levels below ten percent. Please activate life support at once."

* * *

_

**Oh, crap, I just realized I left you with another cliffie. *facepalm* SORRY! Don't worry, I'll update again soon (not tonight, though!). Please review!**


	4. Little One

Kobayashi had a massive headache. When he opened his eyes, the lights were on above him, illuminating the hallway. Kerrick was unconscious beside him, as well as Lieutenant Commander Tade and Commander Chupa-Pau.

Groaning, Kobayashi sat up and looked around. The power was back on. What had happened? The last thing Kobayashi remembered was cornering Vader and then… the oxygen levels…

Kobayashi shuddered; if the life support hadn't come back on, they would have been dead. The lack of oxygen must have knocked them out… but where was Vader?

Looking around, Kobayashi saw someone collapsed on the floor down at the other side of the hallway. Obviously Vader lasted longer than the rest of them; he must have tried to escape when they passed out.

Kerrick stirred beside him, his eyes fluttering open. "What happened?"

"I think we ran out of oxygen," Kobayashi replied bluntly.

"Are we dead?"

Kobayashi laughed. "Yes, we're dead."

Kerrick shot up. "What?!"

Kobayashi only laughed some more. Kerrick growled but before retorting caught sight of Vader. "He's still here!"

"What do you think he did, dematerialized?" Kobayashi stood up and helped Kerrick up as well.

The two walked over to their superior officer and woke him up. Then, as Kerrick went to wake up his fellow officer, Kobayashi headed over towards Vader.

"Don't wake him up!" Commander Chupa-Pau whispered urgently.

Kobayashi nodded, acknowledging the commander's order. He crouched down beside Vader, whose eyes were twitching. "He's trying to wake up,"

Lieutenant Commander Tade looked over Vader and then kneeled down beside Kobayashi. "Let's get him out of here."

Kerrick walked over and picked him up after a moment's hesitation. The four then walked back down the hallway towards the med-wing, where they last saw Captain Mentzer.

The captain was still there, awake and waiting for them as the rest of the doctors and patients stood up.

"What should we do with him, sir?" Commander Chupa-Pau asked the captain.

Captain Mentzer looked at the boy in Kerrick's arms. "Put him in his quarters."

"Wait, sir, does he even know what's going on?" Lieutenant Commander Tade piped in.

"We believe he has a severe case of amnesia, considering how he reacted to his surroundings. With such a drastic change, I can understand." A doctor explained. "But we don't know how this happened."

Kobayashi shrugged. "What matters now is how we deal with it."

Captain Mentzer nodded. "Lieutenant Beillane has a point. Still, Lord Vader should be kept in his quarters. Putting him in the med-wing would probably prove to be… problematic."

Shuddering, Kobayashi remembered the last time the boy was in the med-wing.

"Wait!" Lieutenant Commander Tade said just as Kerrick turned to take Vader to his meditation chamber. "Don't put him in his quarters if he doesn't remember!"

"Why is that, Lieutenant Commander?" Captain Mentzer challenged.

"Sir, I'm a mother of seven, I know how a youngling's mind works," the lieutenant commander explained quickly. "Putting him in that room will just scare him… and considering what's been happening whenever he gets scared, I do believe we should avoid doing that."

Captain Mentzer sighed and shook his head. "We're running a military ship, not a nursery! Put him in his quarters!"

"Sir, I must agree with Lieutenant Commander Tade," Commander Chupa-Pau interrupted. "We don't want to scare him. He's the one who's been causing all the trouble these past three days."

"What are you talking about?" the captain barked.

"Sir," Kobayashi responded for the others. "When Lord Vader disappeared, people started getting stressed, nervous, and even nauseous. People were having nervous breakdowns, migraines due to stress, and they were passing out from exhaustion. At first we thought it was because of a mission or because Lord Vader was missing. In a way, we were right; it _was_ because Lord Vader was missing, but not in the way we expected.

"Darth Vader can use the Force, nobody argues that. Some don't really believe it can do a lot, but we all know he can use it. So, some of us know from experience or rumors that Force-sensitives have the ability to transfer their emotions and thoughts to others. In other words, if Lord Vader is angry, he can—if he wishes to do so—make others feel his anger, but since he doesn't remember who he is or what's going on, his powers are out of control. Therefore, he accesses them without even thinking. He uses them instinctively. That's why everyone was feeling so stressed. It was because _Lord Vader_ was stressed. If he was afraid, the crew was afraid. I'm assuming that our close proximity to him is what made us so susceptible to the effects.

"Lieutenant Commander Chelcu said that when they brought the strange boy onto their ship, everyone started suffering the same symptoms that people on the _Executor_ had been dealing with. It was because Lord Vader was on the ship and he was _terrified_. Now that he's with Death Squadron once again, he's influencing the whole fleet, especially us because he's on the same ship.

"When Darth Vader entered the medical wing, he obviously did not like being near needles or doctors of any kind, so his surroundings reacted to_ his_ reaction; things started breaking because he was afraid. Then, later, when he was put in his cell, he probably got scared and so the power went out. If he gets scared again, who knows what could happen!"

Captain Mentzer, although not seeming to like what he was hearing, did see the logic in the explanation. "Very well; where do _you_ suggest we put him, Lieutenant Commander Tade?"

Tade looked over at the unconscious Vader. "Do we have any vacant rooms, sir?"

"A few," the captain replied evenly.

"One of those, sir," she answered him. "Preferably one on the same deck as people who know how to deal with a child,"

"Lord Vader is _not_ a child," the captain said heatedly.

"If I may, Captain Mentzer," a doctor—the same one who managed to calm Vader down earlier—interrupted. "From the test results we got, we know that he is actually twenty-two-standard-years-old. In all respects, he _is_ a child."

The captain looked he was about to burst a blood vessel, but he nodded nonetheless. "Very well, Lieutenant Commander; there is a vacant room on your deck. He will stay there until further notice."

"We're going to have to assign someone to watch him, sir," the commander said, looking like he was enjoying getting the captain irritated.

Kerrick looked down at the boy in his arms. "And not a stormtrooper, sir; he needs a guide."

Kobayashi was on the verge of bursting into fits of laughter; Captain Mentzer looked like he was going to blow up.

"Perhaps I could watch him for now, Captain?" Lieutenant Commander Tade slipped in.

"I think," Kobayashi interrupted. "That it is in the best interests of the crew that _everyone_ takes part in taking care of Lord Vader."

"_Everyone?"_ the captain repeated.

"Yes, sir," Kobayashi replied. "Lord Vader is going to need plenty of care and with all her duties as an officer of higher rank, Lieutenant Commander Tade won't always be there for him. It'll make sure that Lord Vader gets constant attention and it'll boost the ship's morale. Taking care of a child always helps cheer someone up!"

Kerrick decided it was time for him to step in. "Uh, sir, Lord Vader seems to be stirring. Shouldn't we make these decisions quickly?"

"Yes, of course," Captain Mentzer said hastily, looking at Vader cautiously. "Take him to his… er, _new_ quarters. Everyone can take care of him, but you take priority of the issue, Lieutenant Commander Tade… and you too, Lieutenant Commander Chelcu. And… in fact, all of you take good care of him. The whole ship,"

The captain nodded to himself and then rushed off. The four gaped as they watched the captain leave the hallway and enter a turbolift to go to the bridge.

"Well… that was…" Kobayashi tried to say. "Um…"

"Uh, why don't we go talk in my quarters? They're roomier than yours," Commander Chupa-Pau suggested.

The four agreed and started to walk off when one of the doctors, the same female doctor from before, called out to them.

"Hey, wait! I'll talk with you guys too! You need a medical opinion after all!"

The commander laughed and waited for her to catch up before they went to his quarters.

After arriving there, Kerrick laid Vader on the cot and the five sat on the floor.

"We need to make ground rules for him," Lieutenant Commander Tade said.

"Good Force, what is he, a two-year-old?" Kobayashi asked.

"Tell me, Lieutenant Beillane, do you have a family?" she asked him calmly and logically.

"Uh, not really," Kobayashi replied.

"Let me explain something," Tade started off. "If Darth Vader really does remember nothing—and he's given a huge impression that he barely understands what we're saying—then he's pretty much going to have the mentality of a youngster. That means he'll be completely out of control. We have to set ground rules; we need to teach what to do and what not to do, how to do this and that, what to say, what not to say… everything,"

The doctor smiled. "Perhaps we should start this by suggesting who else should help us out. Trust me, this isn't going to stay a secret very long and everyone will want to be part of it. We need to pick people who will know what to do and how to deal with the situation. Everyone can take care of him like… uh, what's your name again?"

"Lieutenant Kobayashi Beillane, doctor," Kobayashi provided.

"Right," she said, nodding. "Well, like I was saying, everyone can take care of him like Kobayashi said, but we have to have a special group of people to whom he can turn. People who will know how to deal with situations that he might bring up.

"If we're going to be taking care of him, let me tell you, we'll leave a _big_ impression upon him. What we say will be law to him. If we tell him the Rebel Alliance is the best thing since interstellar space travel, he'll believe us and he'll even defend us on it."

"Okay…" Kobayashi said. "Um, so does anyone have any suggestions? I know someone who might be able to help us out. Well, I know a few people."

Kerrick laughed, dropping the Imperial manner. "Koby, you know _everybody_ on this entire ship!"

"Well, then, I have a few suggestions for who can help us," Kobayashi went on. "First, there's Commander Mormi Leeel (she's the aunt of one the largest families in this crew; seventeen kids!), Lieutenant Commander Zan Dryker (he's got a wife and two kids at home), Lieutenant Commander Moeema Norhek (she's got five of the craziest kids I've ever seen!), Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott (he's engaged right now), Lieutenant Shiine Reukli (great with younglings, even though he's single), Ensign Marrax Mothezsh (he'll be expecting his first child within a few months), and Ensign Jifo Hu (a little shy but he sticks to his blasters). That's about it for me."

By the time Kobayashi finished, they were all laughing.

"Wow," the doctor laughed. "You know, I've heard my patients talking about you; they say you're really social… they weren't kidding!"

"So what's your name, anyway?" Kobayashi asked her.

"Doctor Ryatsi Tunbaoth," she introduced herself.

Kerrick folded his arms and looked over at Lieutenant Commander Carh'la Tade. "Well, I don't know any new recruits… how about Lieutenant Numel Sanus?"

Carh'la nodded. "That's who I was thinking."

Kobayashi and Ryatsi exchanged looks. "Who?"

"Lieutenant Numel Sanus just transferred over from the _Stalker_; he thinks on his feet… not to mention he's a great deal of fun to be with." Kerrick explained.

"Anybody else got any suggestions?" Commander Rowan Chupa-Pau asked.

Nobody spoke, so the commander stood up. "Then it's decided. I'll stay here and keep an eye on Lord Vader while you all go get your people and bring them here. See if they have any suggestions too, but try not to get too many, all right?"

Everyone nodded and left the room, going their separate ways. Kobayashi and Ryatsi headed towards the left while Kerrick and Carh'la went to the right.

Kobayashi sighed. "You know, when I was assigned to Death Squadron three years ago, raising Darth Vader wasn't on my list of things to do… but it'll certainly be an adventure to remember… and I think it'll finally bring the crew together like no other mission!"

"What do you mean?" Ryatsi asked him, giggling.

"Well I've got to make sure everyone's in high spirits. What better to do that and to allow people to bond than raising a youngling, particularly one as challenging as Lord Vader?"

"You seem to think about the crew a lot," Ryatsi noted. "Don't you spare some time for yourself?"

Kobayashi laughed. "If you knew my background, you'd understand. Let me put it this way: I'm here to help, and I'm happy to help."

Ryatsi nodded, knowing better than to push the subject. They reached the turbolifts and split up. Kobayashi leaned against the turbolift as he went looking for his long list of people.

Kobayashi bumped into Lieutenant Shiine Reukli first. "Hey, Shi!"

Shiine turned around and saw Kobayashi smiling and walking over. "Hey, Koby; this had better be quick. I've got to get down to the detention block to check up on repairs. How'd you fare with the power going out?"

"Uh, pretty okay," Kobayashi answered awkwardly. "I'll explain it in full detail if you come with me. By the way, I've got a simple question for you: If someone had a young one aboard who was completely clueless about discipline or anything of the sort and was… special… uh, who would you suggest to take up the challenge?"

"Um," Shiine paused, mulling it over. "To tell the truth, I'd suggest one of the new recruits who's working under me; Ensign Zhymmia Kenzee. She just transferred in three days ago—when this whole fiasco started—and I think she'd be great for it. She's the rough-and-tumble type who'd be good at dealing with challenging types."

"Great!" Kobayashi clapped his hands together. "Go get Zhymmia and meet me in the mess hall with her, okay?"

"Okay…" Shiine replied unsurely. Kobayashi smiled reassuringly and then took off, looking for the others.

He found the others at their posts checking over everything. Since he thought he had enough people, he didn't bother asking them about any other help, so he merely brought them all to the mess hall.

Within half an hour, everyone was there and waiting for Shiine and Zhymmia, who arrived a little bit after.

"Okay, we're all here," Shiine said to Kobayashi as he looked at all the others gathered with him. "Now what in the blazes is this about?"

"I can't tell you here, it's too public," Kobayashi explained quietly. "Come with me."

Kobayashi led them to the turbolift and up to Deck 4. As they exited the turbolift and walked towards the officers' quarters, Zhymmia piped in.

"Where are you taking us, sir?"

"First, you don't have to call me 'sir' here," Kobayashi explained. "I may be the junior officer of the deck, but unofficially I'm also officer in charge of morale, and as everyone on the ship can tell you, I have a tendency of disregarding the whole "yes sir" "no sir" thing unless in a setting that demands it. Since we're strolling down the hall, the situation doesn't demand it.

"Second, I'm taking you to a private place where we can talk about confidential and classified information. You all have been privileged to this opportunity, and you'll know what it is soon enough."

Zhymmia nodded, looking confused, similar to the rest of them. When they arrived at Rowan's quarters, everyone paused. Kobayashi opened the door to reveal that everyone else was present and waiting for them. Mercifully, Vader was still fast asleep.

Everyone entered and sat on the floor, some casting curious glances at Vader.

"All right, everyone," Rowan started off. "Now I'm sure you've heard the rumors about a strange boy being picked up by Lieutenant Commander Chelcu at the outpost?"

Everyone nodded, and fair-skinned, black-haired, hazel-eyed Marrax added, "I've heard rumors that he was a high-up Imperial officer!"

"He's more than just a high-up Imperial officer," Rowan explained. "He's Darth Vader himself."

Everyone gaped.

"_What?"_ Numel, Kerrick and Carh'la's friend, exclaimed.

Vader moaned softly and shifted in the cot, but made no other movements. The whole room tensed for a moment before relaxing.

"Are you telling me that that _boy_ is Lord Vader?!" Mormi Leeel whispered.

Rowan nodded. "Yep; that's him. Now, nobody knows how it happened, but what we do know is this: _he doesn't remember a thing_. I hear he went to your detention block, Shiine and Zhymmia."

Shiine nodded. "Yes, the stormtroopers that escorted him there told me he was a handful."

Zhymmia added, "When he broke out and ran off, we investigated the cell while the power was still on. We don't know how it happened, but the wiring that Lord Vader personally oversaw getting installed got tampered with. Some currents were _switched_."

"That's because he _is_ Lord Vader," Ryatsi piped in. "I believe that subconsciously he might remember a few things about being Darth Vader. For instance, if he gets into a situation of some sort, he would probably react instinctively as Lord Vader would; so, when he was stuck in a cell and he didn't like it, he subconsciously remembered when he watched it being installed. Therefore, hacking into it and tampering with it would easy."

Zhymmia nodded, understanding but still a little unconvinced that Darth Vader was a boy.

"There is undeniable evidence that he is Lord Vader," Ryatsi continued. "We got a blood sample from him. That _is_ Darth Vader."

"So, why are we being privileged to this information, then?" Moeema Norhek asked. "Shouldn't Captain Mentzer know about this too?"

"He does," Kerrick answered. "He assigned us to take care of Lord Vader, and we're getting you all to help. No one else is to know of this."

"I'm not saying I'd tell anyone, but… wouldn't the entire _fleet_ hear about something this drastic?" Zan Dryker said hesitantly.

"We have no doubt that the news will spread throughout the ship, but once the information gets out, everyone will swear to hold it secret to the grave. _No one must know_. Can you imagine how the _Emperor_ would react?"

"Oh, Force, I don't even want to think about that…" Kobayashi muttered.

"Can you imagine what he would do?" Carh'la prompted. "He'd probably kill us and Force only knows what he would do to poor Vader."

"_Poor _Vader?" Everyone looked over at Carh'la in amazement.

Carh'la only shrugged in response. "He's a _boy_, people. I'm not going to incriminate him for something he doesn't even remember. It wouldn't be fair to him. Now we need to talk about those ground rules I mentioned earlier."

"Hey, uh, before we start that, I have a question," Ooke Tunrott interrupted. "What are we going to _call_ him? I mean, if we don't want him remembering, or if we don't want anyone else knowing, we can't call him Lord Vader."

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"How about "junior"?" Rowan laughed.

"Maybe something like… uh…"

"Why don't we just call him "little one" for now?" Kobayashi put in. "I'm sure he won't mind."

Carh'la shrugged. "I suppose. Now, we're going to have to set some ground rules."

"Here's one: Don't go on the bridge." Ryatsi said.

"That's a good one!" Kobayashi agreed, laughing with everyone else.

"Um…"

"Don't trust Rebels!"

Everyone started joking and laughing while deciding over different rules and matters that had to be attended to.

While all of that was going on, Vader began to stir silently. His eyes fluttered open while they were talking; none of them noticed that he was wide awake until they all suddenly felt nervous and frightened.

"What the…" Zhymmia muttered, but Kobayashi, Kerrick, Carh'la, Rowan, and Ryatsi knew what that was.

"He can make us feel what he's feeling," Kerrick quickly explained to the others under his breath. "It's a Force-sensitive thing that he obviously isn't aware he has."

"But if he's feeling scared or nervous that would mean…" Shiine trailed off as everyone jumped and looked over towards Rowan's cot.

Vader was propped up on his elbows staring at them uncertainly. Fear glittered in his deep blue eyes.

Carh'la stood up and sat on the edge of the cot, putting her hand on his. "It's okay, little one. We're not here to hurt you."

Vader looked down at her hand curiously and then looked at her. Immediately, they all felt relaxed; Vader had calmed down.

"Whew," Kobayashi muttered under his breath. "This is going to be interesting."

"Okay, now that we have all the goals and lessons that we're going to teach him decided," Kerrick said. "There is one thing that we need to take into account: Liberty."

Everyone started and looked over at Kerrick.

"Oh, star's end," Rowan cursed. "I completely forgot about liberty…"

"That's right," Kerrick went on. "When this crew gets liberty and we're allowed to go anywhere on a planet—or especially when vacation time comes and everyone gets to see their families before they head off once more—what are we going to do with "little one?"

"We're going to have to teach him everything by then," Zhymmia realized. "I guess that'll be his test."

Ooke leaned against the wall from where he was sitting. "These next five months are going to be busy, aren't they?"

Marrax laughed halfheartedly. "Yeah, they are…"

* * *

**Quite frankly, I'm not very thrilled with this chapter, but it had to be written. Tell me what you think! :-)**


	5. Officers to the Bridge

**I wasn't too happy with the last chapter *sighs* maybe this one will be better. I hope you enjoy it! **

_

* * *

A young man was laughing with him as they watched some younglings running around, annoying the Jedi Masters. _

_He felt the man wrap him in a hug. "Come, Padawan; I think we've done enough damage today."_

_All he wanted was just to stay this way, being held in the fatherly embrace, but as quickly as it came, the hug was over. The older man was still uncomfortable with such shows of affection. _

_He sighed. Oh, well._

_The two turned and walked away out of the Temple gardens back towards their quarters to prepare for training the next day._

_Suddenly, everything changed. The scenery went from gardens and waterfalls to burning lava. Everything was painted red, orange, and black._

_His legs and left arm throbbed horribly. Everything smelled of burnt flesh…_

"_Obi-Wan…?"_

"_You were the chosen one! It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them. It was said you would bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness. You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you, but I could not save you."_

"I hate you!!" _he screamed at the man above him. _

_Pain engulfed him, ripping through his body. It felt like every nerve in his body was being pierced by a needle, everything was on _fire_._

_Oh, how it hurt!_

_He screamed, tears leaking out of his eyes. Not all the tears were from the pain…_

The boy woke up, sweating and screaming. He buried his face in his hands and sobbed uncontrollably.

The room was dark. He had been led to the small room he was in by a bunch of people who were all dressed similarly. They seemed nice. Still, he could feel that they were afraid of him, and he didn't like it.

His body started trembling just as the door to his room hissed open. A woman ran in with a man right behind her.

"What's wrong, little one?" she asked him, worried.

The boy looked up, tear streaks on his face. Suddenly, he didn't want them to be there. He didn't know why, but he didn't like showing any sort of emotions in front of them.

_Go away_, he wanted to say, but he didn't remember how.

Instead, he shrank away from her, leaning against the wall.

"Carh'la, I don't think we can do much here," the man said.

"If we're going to show him that we're here to help, we've got to _help_," the woman replied. "There must be _some_ way we can tell him."

Those accents in their voices…

_You were the chosen one!_

The boy examined the man, but he looked nothing like the one from his nightmare. He didn't have blue-grey eyes or reddish-blonde hair, nor did he have olive skin. His eyes were a bright blue and he had short blonde hair that looked unruly (probably because he hopped out of bed). He also had a fairer complexion than the other.

"It's okay, little one," she said soothingly.

The boy looked into her emerald green eyes, searching into her soul. He could tell she was still a little tense around him but she was genuinely trying to help. The boy relaxed, lying his head back down on the pillow.

The man walked closer and whispered something to the woman and the two left the room.

* * *

"What was that all about?" Kerrick asked Carh'la as the door to Vader's room closed.

"It must have been a nightmare of some sort," Carh'la replied, yawning while she did so.

"Really?" Kerrick's sarcastic town was drowned out by his own yawn. "I wouldn't have guessed that."

"I don't know what else to tell you," Carh'la shrugged. "I have three daughters and four sons, but none of them are Force-sensitive and they all have their memories planted quite firmly in their heads. I haven't a clue how to handle this, besides how a parent would handle a trouble-prone child."

Kerrick sighed. "You're probably right. I wonder what would scare him though."

"With the way he's been reacting to us, I'd say _anything_ could scare him," Carh'la commented before reaching her room and bidding Kerrick good night.

Kerrick continued towards his room before stopping when he heard a door open behind him. Turning around, Kerrick saw Vader peeking out of his quarters before walking out into the hallway.

"Oh, no…" Kerrick moaned.

Vader started to head towards the turbolift just as Kerrick ran his legs off to catch up.

"Wait!" Kerrick whispered loudly, panting for air.

Vader paused, watching Kerrick as he rushed towards him.

"Please, can't you just go to bed now?" Kerrick pleaded. "Goodness, I wish you could _understand _me!"

Vader blinked, rings under his eyes. He looked exhausted.

"Why are you even getting out of bed if you look like _that_?" Kerrick asked. "Oh, what are we going to do with you for these next few months? Calling you Little One and… oh, this is going to be _insane_. How are we going to keep this a secret?"

Vader watched him for a few moments before saying, very slowly and carefully, "Food,"

Kerrick stared at his superior in utter bewilderment. "You… you can _speak_?"

"Food," Vader repeated, his blue eyes pleading with the lieutenant commander.

"You're hungry?" Kerrick asked. "Oh… well, uh, I'll take you to the mess hall for a snack. Come along."

Kerrick hesitated for a moment. How was he going to lead Vader around the _Executor_ in such a state? He had panicked so horribly earlier that he almost killed everyone aboard. He remembered vaguely what the others had said: Vader was a trouble-prone boy. How would Kerrick treat his own children if they were scared about a situation that was foreign to them?

For one thing, the only boy he had was _five_, not _twenty-two_. Still… Vader pretty much had the mentality of a five-year-old; he couldn't remember _anything_…

Kerrick sighed and slowly slipped a gentle hand into Vader's own hand. "Come with me."

At first, Vader didn't understand Kerrick's meaning. His hand slipped numbly out of Kerrick's grip as Kerrick walked towards the turbolift while Vader remained motionless. After a few minutes of trying to explain, Vader followed him hesitantly, gripping Kerrick's hand when he tried once again to lead him.

The turbolift arrived on the deck that had the mess hall. The moment the turbolift doors opened, Vader walked forward and, for a fleeting moment, he looked like his old self again. He carried himself in a commanding way, expecting everyone to bend to his will. Kerrick almost saluted him when he turned around to face him.

This only lasted for about five consecutive seconds however; the moment Vader paused, his uncertainty and confusion immediately made itself clear. Kerrick quickly walked forward and led him to the mess hall, and then to the kitchens.

_That was interesting_, Kerrick thought to himself as he made a snack for the boy to eat. Vader had shown his commanding presence that every Imperial on the _Executor_ knew to be his. That meant those memories were in there _somewhere_… just very deep down. Would Vader kill them if he ever did get his memories back?

Suddenly Kerrick found himself wishing that Vader _didn't_ remember. As much of a hassle as Vader was as a boy, he was a lot easier to handle than when he was in the suit and respirator. At least he didn't _try_ to kill people when he was like this!

"So, Little One," Kerrick said conversationally as he made the snack. "Do you want to tell me what that nightmare was?"

Vader blinked at him. He obviously didn't understand him.

Kerrick sighed. "This is going to be a long few months, isn't it?"

Kerrick was hit with such a horrible wave of homesickness that he paused from his work. He ached for his family so badly…

Suddenly, Kerrick felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He jumped and spun around to see Vader watching him intensely. His blue eyes narrowed slightly and he tilted his head to the side.

Timidly, Vader moved his hand up to Kerrick's forehead. He placed it gently and closed his eyes, leaning forward slightly.

Baffled, Kerrick merely stood still, not knowing what to do. He was afraid that he would scare Vader if he moved, so he remained in place. Moments later, Kerrick had the strangest feeling that a wave of water was swirling and swishing in his head, which was impossible… but the feeling was there nonetheless.

"What the…?" Kerrick muttered as Vader slowly lowered his hand.

Vader swayed dangerously back and forth for a moment before finally collapsing into a startled Kerrick's arms.

"Lord V—uh, I mean, Little One?" Kerrick asked as he held Vader, trying to sit him down on a chair.

Vader's eyes opened slowly, but, inexplicably, he looked even more exhausted than he did just before.

Slowly, methodically, perhaps even painfully, Vader said, "Sorry,"

Kerrick nearly dropped the boy. "You _do_ speak!"

Vader paused, trying to register what Kerrick just said, and then he nodded.

Kerrick sat him down and then finished his snack, getting a glass of water to wash it down while Vader munched away quickly.

While Vader drank, Kerrick leaned against the counter. "You do realize that with the lateness of the hour, you won't get up on time… _I_ probably won't either."

Vader gave him a blank look. "On time?"

Kerrick paused, taking a miniscule but timid step back. Vader was starting to scare him a little; the moment he had that nightmare, he started talking. First it was just one word and he didn't understand anything else… then he _did_ understand Kerrick, and _now_ he was questioning him! Either Vader was an extremely fast learner or those memories were coming back quickly.

"What's 'on time'?" Vader asked.

"Uh…" Kerrick paused once again. "I—it's… how could you _not_ know what that is?"

His reaction startled Vader and the boy took a step back.

"Wait…" Kerrick held up his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm just… a little unnerved. How did you suddenly learn to speak and understand so quickly?"

Vader mulled over his words before answering. "You told me."

"I… I _what_?"

"You told me," Vader repeated, obviously thinking that it made perfect sense to answer like that.

Kerrick shook his head. "All right, I think that's enough excitement for one night. Maybe you can tell me tomorrow. Come on, let's get back to bed."

Vader hesitated, so Kerrick took him by the hand once more and led him back to the turbolift.

"You're not going to stick me in a room, are you?" Vader asked timidly.

Caught off guard and not having a clue where that comment came from, Kerrick just blinked stupidly. "I beg your pardon?"

"One of those rooms," Vader went on earnestly. "I won't… I won't do anything, I promise! I won't hurt anyone… don't stick me in there…"

"What in the blazes are you talking about?"

"The rooms!" Vader pleaded, getting panicked. The lights in the turbolift began to flicker.

"Uh, of course I'm not going to," Kerrick hastily agreed, eager to make sure that Vader calmed down.

It worked; the boy immediately relaxed, leaning against the wall of the lift until they reached their deck.

"Now, what rooms were you talking about?" Kerrick asked gently as they exited the lift.

"The rooms," Vader stressed as if it were the most obvious thing in the galaxy.

Getting a little frustrated, Kerrick stopped walking and faced him fully. "What's in those rooms? What are you talking about?!"

"There are needles there…" Vader muttered with fear leaking into his voice as the lights began to flicker once more. "They poke you and prod you… and they stick them in you… and there are a lot of noises… the room stinks horribly of… of… fear…"

Now Kerrick was completely bewildered. How could a room "stink" of fear? One can't _smell_ fear… well, technically, a person releases certain pheromones when their emotions are high… but a normal Human couldn't smell that! What was Vader babbling about?

Kerrick sighed. "Let's just go to bed, okay? I'll walk you to your room."

After doing so, Kerrick returned to his own quarters and turned in for the night, wondering what in the blazes the boy could've meant.

* * *

"He can _talk_?"

"Yes," Kerrick nodded. "And on top of that, he's beginning to develop quite a personality,"

Carh'la blew out a breath and leaned against the wall. "I didn't expect it to happen _that_ fast. Did you ask him what his nightmare was about?"

"No, I was a little too panicked," Kerrick replied. "Besides, if you say something wrong, _he'll_ panic. He's afraid of some sort of room, too."

"What room?" Kobayashi asked.

"I don't know," Kerrick shrugged hopelessly. "I tried asking him but it only made him panic even more. He described it as _stinking horribly of fear_; tell me where _that_ makes sense. He said there are needles and lots of noises in the room."

"Needles and noises," Jifo repeated. "Wait, guys, maybe he was being figurative."

"How could he be figurative? The boy just learned how to speak!"

"I don't know, but it's the only thing that makes sense. If you say a room is _thick with tension_ you don't literally mean that, it's a figure of speech saying that the mood in the room was apprehensive. Perhaps Lord Vader was saying that the atmosphere in the room he described was fear."

"So he described a room that had needles, lots of noise, and terrified people," Mormi Leeel summed up. "I think I know what he's talking about,"

"You do?" Kobayashi asked.

"Yes," Mormi replied before sipping some water. They were all sitting in the mess hall. "My niece, Lora, is _petrified_ of the ped-medcenter. Any mention of her needing an appointment and she runs and hides in the most inconspicuous places of the house. Perhaps it is the same thing with Little One. Many younglings are unsettled by medcenters."

"Needles," Kobayashi muttered. "Of course; you're right, Mormi. Remember how he reacted in the medcenter, Ryatsi? He panicked,"

Ryatsi nodded. "Yes, I do remember that. They're still trying to fix everything he broke."

Kerrick seemed to notice something was wrong with Ryatsi. "Are you alright?"

"Not really, no," Ryatsi replied. "Captain Mentzer just gave me and three other doctors some orders that I don't really approve of."

"Like what?"

"He wants us to run some tests on Little One to see what happened to him. Under the circumstances, I can see why he would issue such orders, but he just doesn't understand that we need to gain the boy's trust before we do anything with him,"

Shiine sighed. "I still don't know how we're going to do this. We are talking about Lord Vader."

Suddenly, Carh'la's comlink chimed. "Yes?"

"Lieutenant Commander Tade, get up to the bridge immediately!" Captain Mentzer said.

"I'm on my way, sir,"

"If you're near any of your acquaintances from the other day, bring them too!"

Carh'la exchanged a bewildered glance with everyone else before nodding. "We're on our way, sir,"

Everyone stood up and rushed to the bridge, Jifo leading the way. The moment Jifo entered, he froze. Kobayashi squeezed by him with the others to see Vader standing on the bridge looking out of the view port, hands clasped behind his back, feet shoulder-width apart.

* * *

**Yes! A cliffie, that'll bring some life back to the story!! :-D As always, please please review.**


	6. Exploration

**Bleah, something's wrong with the barrier thing and it's weirding me out. _ Anyway, enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

"Uh, how did he get up here?" Rowan asked as he entered beside Kobayashi.

Captain Mentzer looked a little scared and yet worried. "I do remember telling you that he was under _your_ jurisdiction! Now get him off!"

Vader's body tensed and he turned slightly to look at the captain. The look was a neutral one, with no anger in it, but something in his eyes told them that he didn't approve of the captain's behavior.

Rowan got a good look at Vader's blue eyes. They were deep and expressive, hiding nothing. Right now they expressed displeasure, and yet… contentment. It was very odd to see the blend, but it was there nonetheless.

Darth Vader looked at Captain Mentzer for this way for at least two minutes. Throughout that whole time, the bridge was dead silent; nobody moved. Then, as quickly as it had come, it was gone, and Vader returned to watching space from the view port. Captain Mentzer looked visibly relieved.

Kobayashi looked paler than usual, but he still walked over to Vader. "Come on, Little One, let's go."

Vader didn't move.

"Little One, let's _go_," Kobayashi stressed slightly. "You're not allowed on the bridge."

When Darth Vader turned around, the displeasure in his eyes had gone. Instead, it was replaced by curiosity and confusion. Rowan looked at Kerrick, who seemed to have seen something like this before. They would definitely discuss this later.

"Why not?"

Rowan immediately returned his attention to the front of the bridge. Vader was leaning against the wall and looking at Kobayashi curiously.

Kobayashi blinked, not expecting the question. Carh'la stepped forward. "The bridge is a busy place, Little One, now come on. We'll explain the details once we leave."

Vader looked at her for a while before starting to walk towards the group. On the catwalk over the depression that held many technical stations, he hopped down towards a terrified-looking lieutenant and leaned over him to look at his data screen. He watched it for a while before scrunching his nose slightly and then rolling his eyes.

He leaned and stood up straight once more. The lieutenant watched him with fearful eyes. He didn't seem to notice, however; instead he walked out of the pit and looked at Captain Mentzer.

"Who are you?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"I—My name is—you really don't remember?" Captain Mentzer sputtered before being elbowed by Kerrick, who received a dirty look for his trouble.

"What were you looking at, Little One?" Marrax asked.

Vader blinked and then looked back at the station where the terrified lieutenant was. "I thought I heard something,"

"You—you _heard_ something? There's nothing to _hear_ in space!" Mentzer said.

Before anyone could blink an eye, Vader was centimeters away from Mentzer and was examining his uniform, completely oblivious to the entire bridge crew jumping to their feet and Mentzer flinching.

"Why are there bars on your clothes?" he asked, looking at Mentzer's rank insignia.

"Okay, time to go!" Mormi said, taking Vader gently but firmly by the arm and leading him out of the bridge. Rowan followed behind Kobayashi while Mentzer panted for air.

The door to the bridge hissed closed behind them and everyone rounded on Kerrick. Apparently Rowan wasn't the only one who noticed that Kerrick wasn't as surprised as the rest of the group about Vader's odd mannerisms.

"What _happened_ last night?" Ooke asked.

"He did something similar last night," Kerrick explained. "When I was taking him for a bite to eat, he exited the turbolift and walked just as we… well, _know_ him to walk. He carried himself like Lord Vader but the moment he paused in uncertainty, it vanished like it was never there in the first place."

Rowan felt someone pulling his sleeve and looked to his left to see Vader tugging it. Surprised, Rowan pulled back. Vader tugged harder. The two practically got into a tug-of-war fight until Kobayashi walked over, a thoroughly amused expression on his face.

"How did you get on the bridge?" Kobayashi asked Vader.

The boy merely shrugged. "I wanted to look around."

Kerrick shook his head. "Last night it took you a minute to figure out what I was saying. How are you learning to speak so quickly?"

"You told me," Vader said simply. "And I practiced!"

Vader's tone, which had been neutral, suddenly took a lighthearted and excited note, almost as if he were proud of his accomplishment and wanted praise from them.

"Uh, that's great, Little One," Mormi said awkwardly, a little frightened by his speed-of-light progress.

Vader cocked his head to the side. "Why can't I go on the bridge, anyway?"

"Well, it's a dangerous place," Zhymmia explained, speaking to him for the first time. Her voice was shaky. "And people have a lot to do in there, so you can't get in their way,"

"But I only wanted to explore!"

"Well, enough exploring," Carh'la laughed, relaxing. "Come on, Little One, you need to eat something."

* * *

Captain Ton Mentzer took a deep sigh of relief as Vader left the bridge with the Imperials assigned to watch him.

Vader's eyes had terrified him. Ton saw a host of emotions and thoughts swirling in those blue eyes. His eyes were like the ocean; on the surface where the sunlight hit, he was merely curious and confused, but once the water became darker and murkier, there was Darth Vader, lurking in the cold darkness, just _waiting_ to come back out. Ton could have sworn he saw Lord Darth Vader scrutinizing him through those eyes.

* * *

Lieutenant Commander Moeema Norhek remained silent as Lieutenant Commander Carh'la Tade tried to convince Darth Vader to go to the mess hall.

"You have to eat, you know," she said.

"I'm not hungry," Vader replied.

"Well you can't just wander around aimlessly,"

"Why not?"

"Because this is a military ship,"

"What's military?"

Everyone paused. Moeema's friend Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu sighed. "It's, uh, oh, Force, forget it. I'll explain _later_ Little One."

Vader looked at them all curiously before beginning to walk off.

"Little One, you can't just walk away from us," Commander Mormi Leeel said. "You have to listen to us."

When Darth Vader turned around, his eyes showed skepticism thinly veiled by confusion, but it quickly dissolved into more curiosity. "Why?"

"Because we're in charge," Mormi went on. "We know more than you and can take care of you."

"Oh," Vader looked down at his boots before perking up again. "So, can I go exploring now?"

Mormi and Carh'la laughed. The rest were still a little tense, but even Kerrick settled down. Any parent in the group seemed to.

Moeema herself had jumped on the idea of raising a trouble-prone youngling, but she hadn't expected it to be _Darth Vader_. Still, he seemed to be fairly innocent… besides, Moeema always enjoyed younglings, so she might as well not stop now.

"Sure, but on one condition," Moeema said to Vader as she tried to gather up all of her courage. "You have to eat lunch first."

Vader pouted, giving a very realistic impression of a puppy.

"And that's not going to work on me," Moeema replied as everyone burst into fits of laughter.

"Fine," Vader said. "Where do we eat?"

"The mess hall," Ensign Zhymmia Kenzee answered. "It's this way,"

The group led him to the mess hall. The moment he entered, the chattering in the room stopped; apparently the information about Vader had spread throughout the entire ship already.

"Good Force it's only been, what, two days since he arrived?" Lieutenant Kobayashi Beillane muttered to the group.

"Actually this _is_ the second day," Lieutenant Shiine Reukli replied. "Remember we just decided what to do with him last night,"

"Oh Force, you're right," Lieutenant Beillane sighed. "I wonder if it's all of Death Squadron or just the _Executor_ that knows…"

While this conversation was going on, Vader had grabbed a tray of food that Mormi handed him and was almost finished eating, completely oblivious to the fact that every eye in the room was on him. He licked his lips after eating everything and then hopped up. Only then did he realize that everyone was staring at him. He looked at them a little nervously, sensing their discomfort. Vaguely, Moeema remembered that the huge power outage yesterday morning was caused by Vader's panic.

"Uh, Little One, why don't we go exploring now?" she suggested.

Darth Vader watched the other inhabitants before excitedly turning to Moeema. "Okay!"

The pair left the room. Moeema wondered why she didn't hear the others talking.

Vader began skipping ahead, laughing his head off. "Come on, let's go! Let's go this way!"

Moeema laughed at the boy's bounciness. She had never imagined exploring Vader's flagship with the Dark Lord himself bouncing around as a youngling. "All right, Little One, we'll go this way."

Darth Vader led her down to a turbolift that went to the prison blocks. Moeema paused. "Are you sure you want to go this way?"

"Yes," Vader nodded. "I want to see what it is."

When they arrived, the officers and stormtroopers cast wary and curious glances in their general direction.

"What are you doing down here, Lieutenant Commander Norhek?" a commander asked her.

"Uh…" Moeema paused, not quite sure how to explain her predicament. She had assumed that everyone knew about Vader, and where were the others? They were supposed to go with her and Vader! They had been with her and Vader in the mess hall; why didn't they follow?

"She's taking me exploring!" Vader piped up excitedly. "Do you want to come too?"

The commander looked at Vader. "Who are you?"

Now Vader paused, unsure of what to say. "Um…"

"I asked you a question," the commander said stiffly.

"He's with me, sir," Moeema quickly compensated. "His name is, um, Lo."

It was the best she could come up with, and it was an abbreviation of his alias, so she thought it appropriate.

"What is your rank, Lo?" the commander continued.

"What's a rank?" Vader asked.

Moeema was about ready to beat her head against the wall. This was getting worse and worse!

"I beg your pardon?" the commander snapped. "Are you fooling around with me, soldier?"

"Is _that_ what I am?" Vader asked. "I'm a soldier?"

"Um, sir, you'll have to excuse him, he's not well," Moeema hastily interceded.

Darth Vader remained silent, looking at her confusedly.

"Then why did you bring him down here?" the commander asked, sounding impatient.

"Because I wanted to come down," Vader replied simply before Moeema could say anything.

"Lieutenant Commander Norhek—"

"Commander Sypikne, what are you doing?"

Moeema and the commander turned to see Captain Mentzer standing in the entranceway. Both immediately saluted him, along with everyone else in the room… except for Vader.

"What are you two doing down here?" the captain asked Moeema and motioned towards Darth Vader.

"Well, sir—"

"We're exploring," Vader replied. "_You_ never answered my question, though."

"What?" Captain Mentzer looked a little unnerved. "What question?"

"I asked who you were," Darth prompted.

The captain shook his head slightly. "My name is Captain Ton Mentzer. Now answer me this: how do you know how to speak so well?"

The commander gave Captain Mentzer an odd look, but Vader just shrugged. "That guy told me."

"What guy?" Captain Mentzer and Moeema both said.

"_That_ guy," Vader stressed, pointing up at a random spot on the ceiling.

Everyone was confused. "What are you doing?"

"I'm answering your question," Vader said as if it were the most obvious thing in the galaxy.

"But—but you're pointing to the _ceiling_," Captain Mentzer stuttered.

"Sir, who is this boy?" Commander Sypikne asked the captain.

"I believe his minder can answer that question," Captain Mentzer replied before dismissing him with a wave of his hand. He then turned his attention towards Moeema. "He can't be out of control like this. I placed him under _your_ care of a reason."

"He isn't out of control, sir," Moeema protested. "But you can't possibly expect someone with his—his _condition_ to be satisfied with being cooped up in a room all day. He has to be able to move around and besides, once he explores the whole ship, he'll at least know where everything is in case there's an emergency."

Captain Mentzer sighed before taking a small step back when he noticed that Vader was looking right at him. "Very well, just get him out of here for now."

Moeema saluted once more and motioned for Darth Vader to follow her out of the detention block. Instead, she saw him entering a storage unit that held interrogation devices. "Little One, get over here!"

He didn't hear her or he was ignoring her; she couldn't quite tell which one it was. Either way, Vader began looking at an interrogation droid and was about to touch it when both Captain Mentzer _and_ Moeema grabbed his arm.

"_Don't_ touch that," Moeema scolded. Vader looked a little startled and took a step back.

Moeema sighed and gently took his arm, leading him out of the room and into the turbolift. She saluted the captain and the commander and then palmed for the lift to take her back to the deck they were originally on. The moment the doors closed, she turned to face Vader.

"Little One, I can understand your curiosity, but you must be careful," she said to him. "Just as we said earlier, this is a _military_ ship. That means that this ship is designed to enforce order and security in the galaxy we live in, but it also means that this ship has dangerous items on board. You can get hurt playing with those items and we don't want that, so _please_ just listen to us."

"Okay," he muttered a little timidly. "Is military a good thing?"

Moeema laughed lightly. "Of course it is, but it's also a dangerous thing, that's why you need to be careful. Don't worry, Little One, we'll help you out."

"What did he mean earlier when he asked what rank I was?"

"Oh, that's something we have in the military and navy,"

"Wait, what's the navy?"

Moeema sighed. This was going to be a long day.

"You see, Little One, the military is ground enforcement while navy is space enforcement. We're in _space_ and this is where our jurisdiction is, so we're part of the Imperial _Navy_."

"What's Imperial?"

"Oh, good Force," Moeema muttered.


	7. Fernanda Hu

**Wow, when I was first writing this I thought it wouldn't be long enough... now I KNOW it's long enough!! Warning: VERY LONG CHAPTER. Enjoy, everyone!**

* * *

The boy sighed. _That_ had been interesting. Why did he not like crying in front of those people, anyway? Oh, well. Anyway, he was _hungry_… but how did he find food? How could he ask for any? Maybe if he made those noises the others made… it seemed to be a way to convey thoughts. He just didn't know _how_!

The boy growled and stood up, running a hand through his hair before gripping some. He felt like he wanted to pull it out just to get his mind off the frustrating aspect of trying to eat. Why were these people doing this? _Who were these people?_

That question had bothered him. Once he had regained his senses and calmed down, the boy had been unnerved by the people. They walked about and said things he didn't understand. He couldn't make out _what_ they were talking about, but he knew _who _they were talking about. They had bee talking about _him_. Why were they talking about him?

His hunger pushed these thoughts aside and his childish curiosity took over. If he couldn't ask them for food then he would just have to find it himself.

The boy walked towards his door and palmed it open. He entered the hallway and turned towards the turbolift that had taken him here. He knew there had to be food _somewhere_ after all.

"Wait!"

The boy turned around and saw the man from earlier running towards him. Unsettled, he took a step back. What did that guy want?

"Please, can't you just go to bed now?" the man said. "Goodness, I wish you could _understand_ me!"

The boy looked at him confusedly. Blinking his sleepiness away, he waited for some reaction from the man.

"Why are you even getting out of bed if you look like _that_?" the man motioned towards him. "Oh, what are we going to do with you for these next few months? Calling you Little One and… oh, this is going to be _insane_. How are we going to keep this a secret?"

The boy had no idea what he was saying. He wished he could just tell him what he wanted… there had to be _some_ way. The boy looked into the man's eyes, willing for something to happen. He _had_ to tell him he was hungry!

A single word popped into his head and he paused, mulling it over in his mind. Awkwardly, he said, "Food,"

The man gawked at him. "You… you can _speak_?"

Well, at least he got _some_ reaction. Still, he had no clue what the man said, so he just repeated himself. "Food,"

"You're hungry?" the man asked. "Oh… well, uh, I'll take you to the mess hall for a snack. Come along."

The man paused, something obviously bothering him. The boy watched, silently pleading for a bite to eat. He thought he got the point across but now he wasn't so sure. They stood in silence for what seemed an eternity before the man finally began to move forward. He placed his hand within the boy's and continued walking.

The boy stood still, not understanding the odd mannerism. What was the weird guy trying to do?

"Here, you take my hand," the man said.

The boy blinked. _What?_

"Take my hand," the man repeated, holding out his hand.

Eventually, the boy understood. The odd guy wanted him to hold his hand… but why did he want that? Mentally shrugging, he did as the man wanted and the two walked into the turbolift. The man pressed a button and they were on their way.

When the turbolift slowed, the boy felt like he was in a surreal moment. Everything seemed familiar in a way. For a moment, he lost himself and just walked outside of the turbolift in a different demeanor, carrying himself with a commanding presence. Something about it felt… comfortable.

As soon as he slowed, the odd feeling vanished. He felt empty and lost. Turning hesitantly, he looked at the man for help. The man responded, quickly walking forward and leading the boy down the corridor and through a door. The room beyond held numerous rectangular tables lined in four rows. At the far end of the room in the left corner was another set of doors. The two walked through and entered into a large room with many different appliances. The smell of food lingered in the air… this must be where they ate!

Sitting the boy down, the man walked around and gathered some food, putting things together to make some sort of meal.

"So little one," the man said. "Do you want to tell me what your nightmare was?"

The boy stared incomprehensibly. The man sighed and said, "This is going to be a long few months, isn't it?"

Although the boy couldn't understand him, he could sense the man's discomfort and sudden longing for something. The man felt horrible, and it made the boy feel horrible. He wished the man would stop.

The boy stood up and walked over to the man as the latter continued making the snack. The boy put a reassuring hand on the other's shoulder, causing him to jump. The man spun around and looked the boy in the eye.

A sudden idea struck the boy. If he could figure out what that guy was saying, then it would make life a lot easier! But how could he figure out what the guy was saying? Another thought appeared in his mind and he timidly began to raise his hand towards the man's forehead. If the man could tell him it would be good.

The boy gently placed his hand on the man's forehead and closed his eyes. He made himself reach out and heard a series of things in his mind. He saw images of children and a beautiful woman talking. They were all looking at him, smiling or waving. Whoever they were, the man knew them very well.

_Who are they?_ The boy asked.

_My family_, the man answered, his voice echoing oddly as if they were in a big room.

The boy froze. He _understood_ that answer! But… but what was a family, anyway?

Confused, he released his grip on the man's forehead. He suddenly felt exhausted and the man nearly had to carry him over to his seat once more.

"Lord V—uh, I mean, little one?"

What… what was he about to say? Lord something? The boy could tell he had the man panicked, so he opted for apologizing. How did one apologize again? Remembering all of the words the man had just told him, the boy slowly opened his eyes and looked at the man, saying in a gravelly voice, "Sorry,"

He felt the man's arms shudder as he almost dropped the boy. "You… you _do_ speak!"

_Um…_ the boy paused, registering the words and mulling them over in his mind. It took him a minute to find the right words from the situations the man had shown him. He nodded.

The man sat him down and quickly finished making the snack, handing it over to the boy. The boy looked at it for just a moment before quickly eating. It tasted so good! The man brought over a glass of water and then leaned against a counter, watching the boy drink. The water was so wonderful. The boy didn't know why, but it just seemed like he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for _ages_!

"You do realize that with the lateness of the hour, you won't get up on time… _I_ probably won't either."

The boy paused. He found many of the words in situations he had seen from the man, but not the words "on time." Maybe he just didn't look hard enough. He was too tired, though. He merely asked aloud, "On time?"

The man looked at him, his face paling. He stood straight and took a small step away from the boy, making him feel a little uneasy. Did he say something wrong? Maybe he should try asking again…

"What's 'on time?'"

"Uh…" the man paused. "I—it's… how could you _not_ know what it is?"

The sudden outburst startled the boy and he quickly stood up before backing away. He really must have said something wrong! He was about to say sorry when the man quickly said, "Wait… I'm sorry. I'm just… a little unnerved. How did you suddenly learn to speak and understand so quickly?"

Whoa, he spoke that _way_ too fast. The boy went over what the man had said in his mind before slowing it down and breaking down the words. Surely he could find all of them in the scenes the man had shown him. Eventually, he managed to translate it into a coherent statement. However, the question itself was odd. Why didn't the man know the answer? It was really simple, actually. "You told me."

"I… I _what_?"

"You told me," the boy repeated. Why wouldn't he know that? He _was_ the one who told him everything and showed him everything.

"All right, I think that's enough excitement for one night," the man said, shaking his head. "Maybe you can tell me tomorrow. Come on, let's get back to bed."

The boy hesitated. Where was bed again? Noticing his uncertainty, the man grabbed his hand gently once more and led him through the large room with tables. They entered into the hallway again before reentering the turbolift. The two stood in silence as the boy mulled over everything and nothing. He enjoyed being around this man!

Suddenly, a thought struck the boy, shaking him deeply. He searched for the right words before asking his question. "You're not going to stick me in a room, are you?"

The man blinked, completely confused. "I beg your pardon?"

What else could the boy say? He didn't know what the room was called. He only knew that it was a room. He couldn't go back to that room, he just couldn't!

In the back of his mind, he heard screams of pain and anguish. He saw people falling and not getting up again. He saw a needle being shoved into his neck and a burning sensation going through his veins…

_Sith learn from pain,_ a terrifying voice whispered, but he quickly shoved it away, pleading with the man and stressing, "One of those rooms… I won't… I won't do anything, I promise! I won't hurt anyone… don't stick me in there…"

"What in the blazes are you talking about?"

The boy didn't have to translate the man's words. His query was clear in his tone. Beginning to panic, the boy quickly said, "The rooms!"

The man looked up at the lights for some reason before holding up his hands and saying, "Uh, of course I'm not going to,"

The mental translation worked quickly and the boy relaxed. At least the man wouldn't stick him in those rooms! He leaned against the turbolift wall, feeling drained. He remained that way for the rest of the trip in the turbolift.

When the two exited, the man asked gently, "Now, what rooms were you talking about?"

Wait, didn't he already know? "The rooms," the boy said. Surely the man knew!

"What's in those rooms?" the man nearly yelled, his voice rising. "What are you talking about?!"

Translating grew far easier, and while the man's tone startled the boy, the thought of being stuck in one of those rooms scared him even more, prompting a response. "There are needles in there… they poke you and prod you… and they stick them in you… and there are a lot of noises… the room stinks horribly of… of… fear…"

Although the man's expression showed that he wasn't enlightened any more than before, he at least calmed down and put a reassuring hand on the boy's arm. He sighed and said, "Let's just go to bed, okay? I'll walk you to your room."

The man walked alongside the boy as they entered the latter's bedroom. The boy sat down and watched the man. Their eyes met for a short moment before the man quickly looked away, turning around and exiting the room. The boy went over all of the events in his head before shrugging and relaxing.

At least they weren't going to stick any needles in him.

The next morning, the boy awoke and stretched his senses. He could see the man walking about in the room with tables that he had seen last night. There were other people around him, familiar and unfamiliar. To be frank, the boy didn't want to worry about people shepherding him around. Instead, he got curious as to where he was and decided to take a look around. Something about the place seemed eerily familiar anyway.

Getting out of bed, the boy left the room and wandered about the area. Eventually, he heard a myriad of voices and could sense people nearby. Curious, he walked towards the noises and entered into a large room with consoles, windows, and lots of people. The room immediately grew silent. The boy was a little unsettled by the sudden silence, but his curiosity got the best of him and the moment he saw a large window directly ahead, he just _had_ to look through it.

He ran towards the window and ignored the stares everyone gave him. As he watched the blackness outside, his feet drifted apart to where they were shoulder-length apart. His hands automatically clasped behind his back. He straightened his posture and contently stared outside. It felt nice to do this… and somehow it also felt familiar.

The boy merely stared out of the window for what seemed to be ages. Occasionally he'd catch sight of a shooting star that would pique his attention, but eventually his mind began to wander.

"_I want to be the first one to see them all!"_

He saw stars all around him. Someone was doing something with his arm. A dry heat nagged at him all of a sudden. A scrape was felt on his arm.

"_Ow! What are you doing?"_

"_Checking the wound for infections,"_

"Uh, how did he get up here?"

The voice, which sounded familiar, pierced through the boy's thoughts.

"I do remember telling you that he was under _your_ jurisdiction! Now get him off!" a tall man with gray-speckled hair and a thick mustache snapped at the familiar person.

The boy saw them in the reflection on the window. He didn't like that tall man's tone. Why was he being mean to those other people? The usual emptiness in the pit of his stomach suddenly grew cold and he turned his torso slowly to face the mustached-man. He gave him a calm look. What confused him was his eyes felt… different. They felt harder. Some part of him wanted to throttle the man… and yet some part found him amusing. Completely bewildered, the boy turned to face the window once more, shaking his head subtly to knock the nonsense out.

"Come on, little one. Let's go,"

The boy looked at the person in question through his reflection. The man was smaller than the mean guy. His hair was as black as the view outside of the window. His skin was pale and his small brown eyes twinkled. However, he seemed a little nervous. The boy merely ignored him. He wanted to look out the window, after all.

"Little one, let's _go_. You're not allowed on the bridge."

He turned around and leaned against the wall, regarding the man. Who was "little one?" Was _that_ his name? Who was the other one anyway? Was this place called the bridge? Why couldn't he stay? He wasn't allowed?

The boy voiced the last question. "Why not?"

The woman from the night before walked over to stand beside the pale man. "The bridge is a busy place, little one, now come on. We'll explain the details when we leave."

The boy had gotten bored by the time she was halfway through her sentence. Now that he was wide awake and curious, he wanted to explore and do other fun things. However, he did start walking towards her… at least until he heard something in the depression to his right. The boy jumped down from the catwalk he had been on and approached a very small and frail-looking man. Ignoring the man, the boy leaned over his console and looked into it for a moment.

_Rebels_, a voice whispered, and though it made no sense to the boy, the word made him feel disgusted for some reason. He wrinkled his nose and snorted before standing straight once more and walking to the other side of the room. Instead of going to the group waiting by the door though, he walked over to the grumpy man.

"Who are you?" he asked curiously as he looked over the man's attire.

The grumpy man gave him a horrified wide-eyed look. "I—my name is—you really don't remember?"

The man from the night before elbowed the grumpy man, earning him a dirty look.

"What were you looking at, little one?" another person asked him.

The boy finally realized that "little one" was what they called him. _Oh…_ he thought sheepishly before looking at the person in question and answering him.

He blinked and looked back at the station where he had heard the odd sound. "I thought I heard something,"

"You—you _heard_ something?" the grumpy man sputtered. "There's nothing to hear in space!"

The boy's curiosity returned as he looked at the man. He immediately took two steps towards the man and examined his clothing closely. The odd bars on his chest caught his attention. Something nagged at him, telling him those bars meant something.

"Why do you have bars on your clothes?" he asked.

"Okay, time to go!" a woman said, grabbing the boy's sleeve gently and dragging him out of the large room.

The boy fought out of her grip and huddled in the corner, startled. The woman apparently didn't notice, seeing as her attention immediately turned towards the man from last night.

"What _happened_ last night?" one of the people asked the man.

"He did something similar last night," the man replied. He proceeded into explaining all of the events of the night before, boring the boy. He grew interested in one of the men's sleeves instead. Maybe they wouldn't pull his sleeve if he pulled theirs and showed them how it felt. Stupid sleeve-pullers!

The boy gently pulled at first, but when the man took notice, he pulled back. The boy tightened his grip and the two began tugging at the sleeve until the pale man walked up, looking like he was about to burst into a fit of laughter. He stopped the little fight by asking the boy, "How did you get on the bridge?"

Turning his attention to the pale-skinned man, the boy shrugged. "I wanted to look around."

"Last night it took you a minute to figure out what I was saying," the man from the night before said incredulously. "How are you learning to speak so quickly?"

"You told me," the boy repeated, slightly exasperated before quickly growing excited and saying, "And I practiced!"

He did indeed practice. He spent hours mulling over all of the words and scenes the man had shown him. He didn't want to sleep for fear of more nightmares, so he spent the entire night working on his language.

"Uh, that's great, Little One," the woman who dragged him out of the other room said awkwardly.

Brushing it aside, the boy cocked his head curiously. "Why can't I go on the bridge, anyway?" he asked, remembering the title they used to name the room.

"Well, it's a dangerous place," another woman, far younger, explained softly, her voice shaking slightly. Why was she scared? "And people have a lot to do in there, so you can't get in their way,"

"But I only wanted to explore!" the boy argued. He didn't like them ordering him around like that. A streak of defiance suddenly sprung up inside him. He wanted to challenge them and see how far they would bend.

"Well, enough exploring," the woman from last night said with a laugh. The defiance vanished. She was friendly! "Come on, Little One, you need to eat something,"

They led him down the hallway before he quickly grew impatient and bored and the defiance returned. "I don't want to eat,"

"You have to eat, you know," the woman replied lightly.

The boy stopped dead in his tracks. "I'm not hungry,"

"Well you can't just wander around aimlessly," the woman said, her eyes glistening knowingly.

"Why not?" the boy challenged.

"Because this is a military ship,"

The defiance vanished again and was replaced with curiosity. "What's military?"

"It's, uh, oh, Force, forget it," the man from last night (what was his name, anyway?) said. "I'll explain _later_, Little One,"

The boy looked the group over before mentally shrugging and turning to walk away. He took three steps before he heard one of the women say, "Little One, you can't just walk away from us. You have to listen to us."

"_Padawan, don't turn your back on me like that. You can't just walk away from this."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because you're in trouble,"_

There was that voice again! The defiance returned in full. Who were they to order him around like that voice did? His eyes conveyed the feeling as he asked, "Why?"

"Because we're in charge," the woman answered. "We know more than you and can take care of you."

Something in the woman's tone melted the cold skepticism away and the boy merely tried to weasel his way out rather than start an argument. "Oh. So can I go exploring now?"

Two of the women laughed. The bulk of the group seemed to relax while the rest remained nervously tense.

"Sure, but on one condition," another woman said. "You have to eat lunch first."

The boy's heart sank. He didn't want to eat, he wanted to _explore_! If words wouldn't tell them, then maybe looks would. He vaguely remembered a look that used to make someone's heart melt at the sight of it. He curled his lower lip and widened his eyes slightly, looking at them pleadingly. Instead of making them listen to him, they only laughed all the more. Dang.

"And that's not going to work on me," the woman added with a smile.

"Fine," the boy said, finally giving in. "Where do we eat?"

"The mess hall," the younger woman answered. "This way,"

_Mess hall_… the boy memorized the word by repeating it constantly until they led him to the room in question. It was the same room as last night! So _that's _what it was called!

The boy bounced on his heels as he stood in place, waiting for them to bring his food. When he finally received his lunch, he quickly sat down and gobbled his meal as fast as he could. The others had to constantly tell him to slow down. For some reason, the noise in the room seemed to have died down. Once he finished eating, he licked his lips, enjoying the taste. He hopped up and looked around when he finally realized that everyone was staring at him.

Their looks made him nervous. His eyes darted about the room as he began to back away.

"Uh, Little One, why don't we go exploring now?" one of the women suggested.

All discomfort forgotten, the boy immediately jumped on the idea. "Okay!"

What was that woman's name, anyway? They all looked different, and they all _felt_ different, but he didn't know who they were!

As they passed the others, the boy realized that if _they_ followed, he wouldn't be able to go anywhere. They would all be arguing about where to go. Instead, he wished they wouldn't see him or the kind woman. He just wanted it to be him and her; no one else. A sense of confidence washed over him as he grew assured that they wouldn't be found.

The moment they entered the corridor, his excitement mounted. The boy began skipping ahead, laughing the whole way. He paused and pointed out another hallway to the woman. "Come on, let's go! Let's go this way!"

"All right, Little One, we'll go this way," the woman giggled.

The boy bounced down the hallway and towards a turbolift. The moment they reached the doors, the woman paused, looking uncertain. "Are you sure you want to go this way?"

"Yes," the boy replied, nodding vigorously. "I want to see what it is,"

The area seemed more familiar than the others, as if he had been there a lot. So, he wanted to see what it was. He couldn't wait to see it! The two entered the turbolift and it sped downwards. As the doors opened, it revealed a dark and eerie room. The grates on the floor were black, as were the walls and ceiling. The lighting of the floor underneath the grates glowed a deep, bloody red. This place seemed really familiar… this was where they had stuck him after the needles!

People dressed in odd-looking white armor immediately approached them, flanking a man dressed in similar uniform to the rest. His uniform, however, was black.

"What are you doing down here, Lieutenant Commander Norhek?" the man asked the woman. Was _that_ her name? Lieutenant Commander Norhek?

"Uh…" Lieutenant Commander Norhek paused, looking uncertain. She looked at the boy for a moment. He could see her panic.

Deciding that it would be best if he explained, the boy shouted in excitement, "She's taking me exploring! Do you want to come too?"

"Who are you?" the man asked accusingly.

The boy paused. He knew the question, but he didn't know his name. Did he even have one? "Um…"

"I asked you a question," the mean man said.

"He's with me, sir," Lieutenant Commander Norhek compensated. "His name is, uh, Lo."

_My name is Lo?_ The boy thought curiously.

"What is your rank, Lo?" the man went on relentlessly.

"What's a rank?" the boy asked.

"I beg your pardon?" the man said in a crisp, irritated tone. What did the boy say wrong? He only asked a question! "Are you fooling around with me, soldier?"

"Is _that_ what I am? I'm a soldier?" it seemed so, considering how the man addressed him.

"Um, sir, you'll have to excuse him, he's not well," Lieutenant Commander Norhek interrupted. The boy looked at her in puzzlement. Why was he not well? He felt fine, actually.

"Then why did you bring him down here?" the man asked her, his tone rising in exasperation.

"Because I wanted to come down," the boy explained for her.

"Lieutenant Commander Norhek—"

"Commander Sypikne, what are you doing?"

Everyone turned to see the grumpy guy from the bridge. The boy folded his arms, assuming a childishly irritated stance.

"What are you two doing down here?" Grumpy Guy asked Lieutenant Commander Norhek.

"Well, sir—" Lieutenant Commander Norhek began before the boy cut her off, irritated at Grumpy Guy.

"We're exploring," he said. "_You_ never answered my question, though."

"What? What question?" Grumpy Guy asked, his voicing quivering slightly.

"I asked who you are," the boy reminded him.

"My name is Captain Ton Mentzer. Now answer me this: how do you know how to speak so well?"

The boy was a little irritated with that question, but he pointed towards the man nonetheless. "That guy told me."

Everyone looked at the boy before staring at the ceiling. "What guy?"

Why were they staring at the ceiling? The boy could look up and see him, clear as day, walking about as if he were right there! "_That_ guy,"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm answering your question,"

"But—but you're pointing to the _ceiling_," Captain Ton Mentzer stuttered.

"Sir, who is this boy?" the other guy asked Captain Ton Mentzer.

"I believe his minder can answer that question," Captain Ton Mentzer replied before facing Lieutenant Commander Norhek. "He can't be out of control like this. I…"

The rest of his statement faded away along with all other noise as the boy looked at the far right corner of the room. A small doorway led to an antechamber where a variety of tools were hanging on the wall or sitting on shelves. The boy slowly walked towards the room, the strange surreal feeling coming over him once more. Echoing softly in his head was a harsh, rhythmic sound. It sounded like someone breathing, but whoever it was wasn't living. The breathing sounded artificial. It scared him and mesmerized him at the same time. Before he knew it, he was in the antechamber, reaching towards one of the tools before a pair of hands grabbed his arm roughly. He whipped around and saw Lieutenant Commander Norhek and Captain Ton Mentzer.

"_Don't_ touch that," she said harshly.

What did he do? He just got curious, that was all really… scared, the boy backed away before Lieutenant Commander Norhek sighed and gently led him into the main room. She did an odd thing with her hand towards Captain Ton Mentzer and the other mean guy before the two entered the turbolift. The moment the doors closed, she faced the boy, looking him in the eye.

"Little One, I can understand your curiosity, but you must be careful," she said to him. "Just as we said earlier, this is a _military_ ship. That means that this ship is designed to enforce order and security in the galaxy we live in, but it also means that this ship has dangerous items on board. You can get hurt playing with those items and we don't want that, so _please_ just listen to us."

"Okay," he muttered, still a little scared. "Is military a good thing?"

Lieutenant Commander Norhek laughed lightly before smiling and saying, "Of course it is, but it's also a dangerous thing, that's why you need to be careful. Don't worry, Little One, we'll help you out."

The boy settled a little before asking, "What did he mean earlier when he asked what rank I was?"

"Oh, that's something we have in the military and navy,"

"Wait, what's the navy?" That term sounded _very_ familiar.

Lieutenant Commander Norhek sighed before answering. "You see, Little One, the military is ground enforcement while the navy is space enforcement. We're in _space_ and this is where our jurisdiction is, so we're part of the Imperial _Navy_."

"What's Imperial?" Hearing the word made alarm bells go off in his mind. This was a word he had to know.

Lieutenant Commander Norhek muttered something before leaning against the wall. "I'll answer later, Little One, okay?"

A little disappointed, the boy nodded and remained silent. Once they got back to the hallway leading to the mess hall, the boy pointed to a different direction. "Let's go this way, then!"

"Uh, no," Lieutenant Commander Norhek shook her head. "That leads to the medical wing. That's the room with all of the needles."

The boy froze. The room was called the medical wing?

"It's okay, though," she quickly compensated. "We're not taking you there, trust me."

"W-we're not going there, right?" the boy asked, immediately terrified. The lighting in the hallway seemed to dim.

"No, of course not!" Lieutenant Commander Norhek quickly said, holding her hands out to calm him. Why was she afraid of him? "Come on, Little One, I'll show you the hangar bay, would you like that?"

"What's a hangar bay?"

"Just follow me," she answered, sounding relieved.

The boy followed her, more than happy to get away from the medical wing. His fears and worries vanished the moment the doors opened to reveal a massive space filled with large pieces of machinery. Smaller bits of machinery rolled or walked to and fro as people inspected certain areas on the… _ships_.

The boy didn't need to search for the correct words for _these_ items. He just knew them in his very core. There were droids here and ships.

Forgetting all about Lieutenant Commander Norhek, the boy immediately ran ahead, wanting to reach those ships as quickly as he could. Within two seconds he had gotten to the first ship and slid underneath it, laughing as he pulled a circuit board out and began examining it.

* * *

That night in the mess hall, Moeema confronted the other officers. "Where were you guys earlier today?"

"What are you talking about?" Kerrick asked. "We were looking for _you_."

"What?" Moeema paused, confused. "Why would you be looking for me? We were all in the mess hall and I walked _right by you_ with Vader. I even told you to come on before Vader ran off."

"I didn't hear a thing," Ensign Kenzee said. "We were all standing in the doorway watching Vader eat and then he suddenly got up and just… vanished."

"What do you mean he _vanished_? I saw him the whole time; he dragged me along with him!"

"I hate to say it, Moeema, but apparently you were the only one," Carh'la sighed. "The rest of us were panicking because you two just disappeared right after Vader ate. We all saw him stand up but then an officer walked across the path and after he passed by Vader was _gone_, along with _you_. We had heard from Captain Mentzer that you went to the detention block and we searched the area but we couldn't find you anywhere."

"Did you search the hangar bays?" Moeema asked.

"Yes, of course,"

"But that's impossible; you should have found us then!" Moeema interjected. "We stayed in the hangars for the rest of the day because Vader wouldn't stop looking at the ships! I had to drag him out of there before the engineers went mad!"

"We didn't see you, Moeema," Kerrick stressed.

Ensign Jifo Hu looked out the window thoughtfully before gasping. "Oi, I got an idea!"

"What is it?"

"No, no, wait…" Jifo paused once again and then smacked his palms together. "I'll be back."

He saluted his superiors and then rushed out of the room. Everyone looked at each other with a bewildered expression before turning to face Kobayashi.

"Koby, what was _that_?" Lieutenant Shiine Reukli asked.

"I don't know," Kobayashi shrugged. "Ji is an interesting character. He's really shy at first but once he gets to know you he can do the strangest things. Many a time all the weird mannerisms are really just his mind going way off the beaten track and then he gets an idea and, without expressing anything to the rest of the people, runs off and goes through with it. He's bloody brilliant, but he's also a little socially awkward."

"So was that one of those "weird moments" or is he just always that random?" Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott, an engineer, asked.

"I think he just got an idea like he said," Kobayashi pointed out. "But then he probably started thinking how to go through with the idea and that's where he leaves us behind in the dust. That guy really can get going on something and you'll never know what he's thinking."

"That's not helping the problem, though," Mormi pointed out.

Zan Dryker shook his head. "I wonder what his idea was. Well, anyway, I'm still wondering why we didn't see each other if we supposedly were in the same area."

"That's worrying me," Kerrick sighed.

"Where is Vader, anyway?" Mormi asked Moeema.

"I sent him to his quarters," Moeema sighed, leaning against the wall. "The boy was exhausted after today."

The group remained silent until Jifo suddenly reentered with a triumphant look on his face.

"Come with me," was the only thing he said before running out of the room once more. Everyone tripped over each other to follow the ensign.

Jifo led them to the turbolift and down two decks. He walked down the crew quarters and entered his own, sitting on his cot and allowing everyone to squeeze into the room.

"Ji, why are you squishing us in here?" Kobayashi asked, as he stood practically smeared against the wall.

"I brought you all in here to meet my sister-in-law," Jifo said happily.

"Your _sister-in-law_?" everyone gaped at the man. "What—where?"

Jifo laughed. "Via hologram, guys,"

"You never told me you had a sister-in-law!" Kobayashi said.

"I never did get around to it, did I?" Jifo mentioned thoughtfully before shrugging it off. "Well now you know. Anyway, she's a cultural anthropologist and she studied many different peoples and cultures, _including_ the Jedi."

The room was dead silent. Nobody could utter a word until Ooke finally exclaimed, _"What?"_

Jifo nodded. "Yes, she studied the culture of the Jedi Order. She was granted permission to do so about half a decade before the Clone War began. When the Declaration of a New Order came, she stashed all of her notes away so that the Empire could not take them and destroy them. She was very protective over her work, you see. She spent an entire year in the Jedi Temple observing and even partaking in some of the things Jedi did which was a privilege that no non-Jedi had ever experienced before. She's bound to know _something_."

"She—so you're saying that maybe your sister-in-law can help us?" Kerrick managed to get out.

Jifo nodded again. "Exactly,"

Moeema was just as surprised as the rest of the group, but the prospect of understanding her charge more overrode any other feeling. "Then what are you waiting for? Contact her!"

Jifo walked over to the small comm. unit he had on his desk before activating it and typing in a code. They waited for about two minutes until the familiar blue hue of a hologram fizzled to life, taking the shape of an attractive-looking woman. She had her hair pulled back into a braid that went over her shoulder and faded out of the hologram. Her eyes held a quiet intensity to them, and her face showed years of experience and knowledge. However, she held it all with a carefree air.

The woman smiled when she saw Jifo. "Hello, Ji, what are you up to?"

"Hello, Fernanda," Jifo greeted. "I need your help, Sis."

"My help?" The woman repeated skeptically with a tone of humor in her voice. "The mighty Ensign Hu needs _my_ advice?"

"Oh, shut up," Jifo said, a slight blush appearing on his dark skinned cheeks. "I said I was sorry about that."

"Sure you did,"

"_Anyway_," Jifo interrupted, obviously trying to avoid the issue about which she was talking. "I need you to dig up a little dirt on your anthropology files from before the Clone Wars."

"I have quite a few of those, Bro,"

"The ones about the Jedi,"

Fernanda jumped, looking surprised. "You want to see my files about the _Jedi_? Ji, the Empire confiscated those at the Declaration of a New Order!"

"It's important, Fernanda," Jifo replied. "Don't you have any?"

Fernanda shook her head. "No…"

The hologram of his sister-in-law moved out of the holocam's sight and everyone stared at the blue hue for a few minutes before she returned.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked Jifo in a low tone.

Jifo turned to the rest of the group, waiting for their counsel on the matter.

"Ji, is there someone else there?" Fernanda asked suspiciously.

"Yes, but don't worry," Jifo reassured her. "They're friends. They need this help just as much as I do."

"We need information on their younglings," Moeema said to the group in general.

"I think we also need to know about some of their Force empowered abilities," Rowan piped in.

"Did you get all of that, Sis?"

Fernanda nodded. "I think I'm entitled to know why you're asking for documents that could get me executed."

Jifo sighed and turned to the group. "Sorry, she's always like this,"

"We can't—you know—_tell_ her," Zan stuttered. "I mean, if we told everyone who asked the whole _galaxy_ would know."

"You can trust Fernanda with a secret," Jifo said.

Rowan stepped forward into the view of the holocam. "Greetings, Mrs. Hu. My name is Commander Rowan Chupa-Pau. What I am about to tell you is to remain in the strictest confidence, am I quite clear on this?"

Fernanda nodded slowly, looking at Jifo once again. "Bro, what did you get yourself into?"

"He is now a part of a handful of Imperial officers assigned to a special project," Rowan explained. "We are taking care of a difficult Force-sensitive youngling and we need your extensive knowledge on the culture to help us."

"A difficult _Force-sensitive_ youngling?" Fernanda repeated. "Wouldn't you just kill the child?"

"That would be difficult," Rowan answered. "We require your assistance, Mrs. Hu. As you can surmise, this is not an easy task."

Fernanda finally closed her mouth and nodded, face set in a determined expression. "I was telling the truth when I said I don't have any of the files anymore. However, I do have some hand-written notes. Some of the information is on younglings, so maybe it will help. I'll tell you all I know.

"There's a lot to know about them. Do you want to know about their habits? They are younglings. They act just like every other youngling out there except they're more perceptive than the average child."

"Okay, then tell us what Jedi did to deal with their younglings," Moeema supplied.

"Generally they do the same thing any parent would do, but there are a few exceptions," Fernanda said. "For instance, when a youngling spends a lot of time alone or wants company but the parents aren't available, most regular people would turn to a nanny droid. Jedi, on the other hand, turn to… they turn to…"

Fernanda squinted at the notes she wrote from years ago and then snorted in laughter. She began to erupt into giggles and then burst out laughing.

"What?" Jifo asked.

"I—I'm sorry, it's just—oh, that _name_!" Fernanda laughed.

"What?" everyone said to get her attention.

"S-sorry," she muttered as she got control of herself. "Oh, my… well, instead of using a nanny droid, the Jedi turn to SFT: Super Force Teddy."

The room remained dead silent for a moment before _everyone_ burst into fits of laughter.

"S-super—_Super Force Teddy_?" Kobayashi roared. "My word where did that come from?"

"From a youngling, obviously," Fernanda giggled. "The adults just called it the imprint bear."

"What in the _blazes_ is Super Force Teddy?" Rowan asked between laughs.

Fernanda managed to calm herself down. "Whew, um, S-super—Super Force…"

She couldn't help it, and their laughter didn't help the situation. The moment Fernanda tried to speak the name again she burst into laughter once more.

"Okay, I'm going to say it this time!" she said determinedly before laughing again. "I'm going to say it I'm going to say it I'M GOING TO SAY IT!"

Everyone roared in laughter.

"Shut up!" she shouted before laughing once more. "You're not helping!"

This continued for about five minutes until everyone managed to settle down, although an occasional snort of laughter was still heard.

Fernanda took a deep breath and then finally managed to explain. "S-super Force Teddy was the term that they would use for a regular teddy bear that had a Force Imprint."

"What's a Force Imprint?" Jifo asked as everyone grew serious.

"A Force Imprint was…" Fernanda flipped through her notes before sighing. "Sorry, I don't have the details… but I do remember a few things off the top of my head. I can at least tell you what a Force Signature is.

"You see, a Jedi could use the Force to tell who someone was or where they were. Using the Force, a Jedi would detect what they called a person's _Force Signature_ and know exactly who the person was. It's kind of like a scent except through the Force. With that knowledge, you should probably be able to understand a Force Imprint.

"If I'm not mistaken, a Force Imprint was when a person leaves traces of their Force Signature on an item or in an area. For instance, Darth Vader would detect Jifo's Force Imprint in his quarters because he spends so much time there that there are traces of his Force Signature in the room.

"So that would mean SFT was a regular teddy bear with a Force Imprint; Jedi would use the Force to place an imprint of their Force Signature onto the bear to provide comfort to the youngling. Through the Force, holding the bear would make the youngling sense the person who left the imprint. Essentially, it would seem like the person's right there. It was a means of comforting Jedi younglings."

"Can anybody do this?" Kobayashi asked, catching everyone's attention.

"Of course," Fernanda replied. "Regular people leave Force Imprints everywhere they go; that's how the Jedi could track them. They just probably have to carry the item around for a while—probably about two hours or something along those lines—and the imprint will be left automatically."

Kobayashi smacked his palms together. "That's perfect!"

Carh'la laughed as she thought about the issue but Moeema asked, "What about schooling?"

"Regular schooling or Jedi training?"

"No, just regular schooling,"

Fernanda shrugged. "They teach it the same way everyone does."

Everyone sighed in relief. "Thank the Force for _that_,"

Jifo smiled and leaned over towards the hologram. "Thanks, Sis; you were a lot of help."

Fernanda smiled in return and nodded. "That's what I'm here for, Ji. Make sure you don't get yourself killed by Lord Vader, all right? Oh, speaking of Lord Vader, does _he_ know about this?"

Jifo flinched. "Um, yes, he is quite aware of the situation. Thanks for all of the help, Sis. I'll talk to you later."

Before Fernanda could reply, he cut the connection.

* * *

**This was sort of a filler chapter since it looked over all the incidents from Vader's point of view until the end, but the next chapter is going to be fun! You're going to be introduced to some new and old faces... mwuahaha!!**


	8. First Day of School

**This chapter is a little shorter than the previous one. Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning, Kobayashi strode towards Vader's quarters and paused when he reached his destination.

"Little One," he said as he knocked on the door.

He felt grogginess overcome him... why was he suddenly sleepy? The door slid open soon afterwards and his explanation was clear: Vader looked half-asleep. "Huh?"

"I have a lot to tell you," Kobayashi said quickly as he grabbed the Sith Lord by the wrist and entered the room.

"What is it?" Vader mumbled.

"You're going to be starting school," Kobayashi smiled.

The look he got in response was confusion.

"What's school?" Vader asked innocently.

"School is where you learn," Kobayashi explained. "You'll learn what the Empire is and what the Rebel Alliance is… all sorts of things! It'll be fun, don't worry."

Vader still looked a little confused and then he pouted. "Does that mean I'm going to be stuck in here?"

Kobayashi laughed. "Well, sort of. I've already come here to teach you your first major lesson."

"What lesson?"

"Lesson #1: Never go on the bridge," Kobayashi said very sternly before laughing again.

"Why can't I go on the bridge?"

"You see this…" Kobayashi trailed off and then sighed. He grabbed a bag that he had been carrying with him and dumped the contents in front of Vader: a small table that sat a little above the ground, a whole score of data pads, a few books, and some holocrons.

"Now before I go into any explanation on what an Empire is or anything of the sort, let me just tell you what your school routine is going to be, okay?" Kobayashi said. Vader nodded and the lieutenant continued, saying, "In the mornings, you will be taught Galactic History and Basic Physics by Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu. Next are Foreign Language and Galactic Politics from yours truly. Then you will have a lunch break and after that, Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott will teach you basic mechanics and Ensign Zhymmia Kenzee will then teach you the sciences. Ensign Jifo Hu will teach literature to you, and… I believe that is everything."

Vader looked like he had been sentenced to life imprisonment. _"What?"_

"So, let's go eat breakfast and then your classes begin!" Kobayashi smiled and then led Vader to the mess hall.

* * *

Palpatine frowned. He had been trying to contact Vader ever since those disturbances began. A powerful Force-sensitive was in the same vicinity as Vader and Palpatine wanted to make sure the threat was eradicated. However, even when he contacted Vader's private comlink he didn't get a response. The whole situation was vexing. Either way, Vader would be reprimanded severely for his lack of awareness.

Still…

The more Palpatine pondered on the two issues, the more they seemed connected.

This required further investigation.

* * *

It was the first day of Vader's schooling and Kerrick was already late. Wonderful.

Cursing under his breath, Kerrick ran down the corridor, narrowly missing a collision with Captain Mentzer.

"Lieutenant Commander Chelcu, where are you going?" the captain snapped. "You should be on the bridge."

"Sorry, captain, I'm a little busy with Lord Vader," Kerrick explained, leaving the captain seconds after.

He finally reached the turbolift and sped down to the officers' quarters. When he arrived, he ran to the door and knocked feebly before shrugging and opening it.

Vader sat in front of his cot, staring at all of the school data pads and books that Kobayashi had brought him. The boy looked comatose. He was also extremely pale. However, the moment Kerrick took a step forward Vader leapt into the air and tackled the poor Imperial officer.

"Oh, please don't let them get me!" he cried out.

"W-what?" Kerrick stuttered, completely winded. "What are you talking about?"

"T-the politicians!" Vader shouted. "I saw the book and they're swarming in my head get them out get them out!!"

Kerrick blinked a moment before laughing his head off. "Wha—you're scared of a bunch of schoolbooks?"

Vader pouted, trying to make it look as if it were a capital offense to laugh at such a matter. "But—but they're—_I hate politics!"_

Kerrick only laughed harder. "Well, don't worry, Little One. I'm only teaching you Galactic History and Basic Physics. No politics from me. Kobayashi will teach you _that_."

"Who's Kobayashi?"

"The one who brought all of this in here," Kerrick explained. "I guess we never did introduce ourselves, did we? My name is Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu."

"Hi Lieutenant Commander Kerrick Chelcu," Vader said, taking a deep breath and then whining, "You've got a long name!"

Kerrick laughed again. "No, no, silly, _lieutenant commander_ is my _rank_. My actual name is _Kerrick Chelcu_."

"Is a rank something you guys have in the Imperial Navy?"

Kerrick's laughter immediately stopped. "How—how do you know that?"

"Lieutenant Commander Norhek told me," Vader answered simply, causing Kerrick's fear to evaporate.

"Oh… well, let's just get to classes, shall we?" Kerrick said, sitting down in front of Vader.

"So… what are Galactic History and Basic Physics?" Vader asked.

"Galactic History is the study of things that have happened in the past. We study history to learn from our past mistakes. For example, we study the history of the Old Republic so we can learn how to avoid becoming a decrepit and internally rotting government. The Galactic Empire is an example of how we've learned from our mistakes." Kerrick explained as he put all of Vader's books in an organized pile. "We'll just worry about Galactic History for now, okay? We'll discuss physics when we get there."

"Okay…" Vader trailed off before asking. "What's the Old Republic and the Galactic Empire?"

Sighing, Kerrick decided that this class was going to be a lot harder than he had originally assumed.

* * *

The boy's head felt like it was about to explode. Reading about things like the Galactic Empire and the stuff that it had done was so _boring_. Okay, some people did this and the Empire said _that's stupid do it this way_ and they didn't listen and so the Empire sent their army to show them how to do it, _fine_! After a while, it got pretty repetitive. The boy thought that people _learned_ from their mistakes like Kerrick Chelcu had said!

Thankfully, their time for Galactic History came to an end. They quickly switched to Basic Physics, and the boy's curiosity rose once again. This sounded a lot more exciting than Galactic History!

As the boy started studying his physics, he grew happier by the minute. This was so much easier to understand than Galactic History! At least there wasn't any boring "and after the fall of the decrepit Old Republic in the sixteenth year after the Great Resynchronization…" Unfortunately, Kerrick Chelcu had assigned the boy homework: he had to memorize the emperor's Declaration of a New Order. Yuck!!

The name Palpatine had seemed very familiar to the boy. However, his utter hatred for the subject caused him to prevent his curiosity from getting the best of him. Instead, he happily did his physics work. There were just easy equations and rules to remember, not stupid narrators talking about the "rotten Old Republic" or the "mighty Galactic Empire." It was all so _boring_!

Eventually, Kerrick Chelcu stood up and told the boy that the lesson for the day was over.

"Next, Lieutenant Kobayashi Beillane is going to teach you Galactic Politics and Foreign Language," he informed him.

The moment the words _Galactic Politics_ left his mouth the boy's insides churned. No, not politics, _anything_ but politics…

* * *

Ooke Tunrott let out a nervous breath as he smoothed his uniform of nonexistent wrinkles before approaching the door to Darth Vader's quarters. He hadn't faced the Sith Lord alone yet, so he was extremely nervous. He was just an engineer, not a miracle worker! How could he possibly manage to teach Darth Vader about basic mechanics?

The door hissed open and Ooke looked around before seeing Darth Vader sitting on the floor stooped over some homework that the previous teacher, Kobayashi, had assigned. It didn't even seem as if Vader had noticed Ooke entering the room.

This thought was short lived as Darth Vader immediately dropped what he was doing and sat up, looking at Ooke expectantly. His eyes twinkled excitedly and he quickly said, "You're going to teach me basic mechanics, right?"

"Y-yes…" Ooke stuttered. "You see, basic mechanics is—"

"I already know basic mechanics!" Vader interrupted. "Let's go to the hangar bay and work on some of the ships! What are they called, anyway? Can we go now? I want to tinker with some of them! I looked at them yesterday and—"

The Sith Lord babbled on and on about the fighters and bombers in the hangars, leaving poor Ooke stammering to reply. Vader never gave the engineer a chance to speak, so Ooke had to finally take a deep breath and interrupt the rambling.

"—Excuse me, Little One, but we're not going _anywhere_," he said before taking another breath. The room was suddenly very hot and he began to sweat.

Vader remained silent for a moment before he crawled under his cot. Ooke blinked, completely baffled. "What… are you _doing_?"

Vader wiggled back out with half an ion engine in hand. That was the ion engine the other engineers reported missing from the storage compartment!

"How did you get that?" Ooke demanded, automatically treating Vader like a subordinate.

When Darth recoiled, Ooke immediately backed down. He suddenly didn't view the boy as Darth Vader but as a child who was sometimes too curious for his own good. "Sorry… where did you get that?"

"When Lieutenant Commander Norhek and I went exploring yesterday, I saw it and wanted to fix it."

"You wanted to fix it," Ooke repeated bluntly. "I see… so what did you do with it?"

Vader stood up and then sat on the cot, putting the part on his lap. "Well, you see, somebody got the wiring to the fuel tank wrong. If this had been actually attached to a ship, it would have set your fuselage on fire and then blown the whole thing to pieces. So I fixed it. I rerouted the power through this wire here and attached it to the electrical component that would go here if this engine were in a ship. Of course, I've still got to find the other half of the engine but when I do I'll have an ion engine ready to go!"

Ooke gaped at the boy. He was practically a technological genius! "How—you—but… let's go down to engineering, shall we?"

* * *

The boy leapt in excitement the moment they entered the hangar bay. He carried his ion engine over towards the nearest fighter and immediately began to take apart the fuselage.

"Wait, wait!" Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott called out. "That doesn't need fixing!"

"I'm not going to fix it, silly!" the boy laughed. "I'm going to _improve _it. What's it called, anyway?"

"It's a specialized TIE fighter," Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott replied. "It's for our highest officer."

"Who's the highest officer?"

"Um… he… his name is, uh…"

The boy watched Ooke Tunrott stammer to find the right words for a while before growing impatient. He wanted to start tinkering on this ship!

Ignoring the blubbering lieutenant, the boy quickly returned to taking the fuselage apart. He had nearly gotten the components out before Ooke Tunrott swatted his hands away. "Stop!"

The boy took a small step back. What had he done wrong?

Ooke Tunrott sighed. "Look, Little One, I brought you here to work in the engineering area of the ship we're on, _not_ the fighters, _particularly_ this one."

"Sorry… what's she called?"

"What, the ship?"

The boy nodded.

Ooke Tunrott sighed. "I don't know to tell you the truth. I don't even know if she was named at all."

"Why don't we name her, then?" the boy suggested.

The boy's instructor seemed hesitant, but he also seemed to push it aside. "I suppose… sure. Go ahead."

Smiling, the boy closed his eyes to think for a moment. She wasn't the prettiest ship he had ever seen, but when he saw her internal work, he was impressed. Whoever that high up officer was, he obviously knew his stuff. The ship deserved a good name. However, when he started really thinking about a name for the ship, he suddenly felt depressed. _He_ wasn't feeling depressed… the _ship_ was. She had a sense of sadness around her. Where was _that_ coming from? What would make her sad? Was it her owner?

"She's sad…" he muttered.

Ooke Tunrott gave the boy an odd look. "What?"

"I mean… she…" the boy took a deep breath. "Poor girl…"

Ooke Tunrott looked completely bewildered.

What could he name the ship? With such a sad demeanor she couldn't have a bouncy name. It had to be fitting for her personality and her owner.

"I know what to call her," the boy said aloud.

"So, what is her name?"

The boy paused, closing his eyes to confirm the name before nodding to himself and looking at Ooke Tunrott. "Her name is _Fallen Angel_."

"That's an awfully depressing name for a ship," Ooke Tunrott commented.

"I think it's good for her," the boy replied. His somber attitude immediately vanished when the thought passed. "So are we going to the engineering section?"

Ooke Tunrott looked at the ship for a moment before smiling and nodding. "Yes, let's go."


	9. Numel Sanus

The next day, Kerrick couldn't make it to teach Vader. Instead, he assigned Lieutenant Numel Sanus, a friend of Kerrick and Carh'la who transferred to the _Executor_ from the _Stalker_ a week earlier.

Numel was an interesting character. Though he liked to think of himself as engaging and fun, many (mostly women) found him to be a nuisance because of his uncanny ability to point out the obvious and his unfortunate habit of never keeping his mouth shut. He was also a notorious flirt.

Kerrick personally enjoyed Numel's company because he was one of the few members of Death Squadron who wasn't so stiff he would break if he bent over (as Kobayashi had put it once). Carh'la merely found him amusing and had first grown to like him when he tried to flirt with her upon their first meeting (she had promptly told him that she was married and he had apologized profusely for the next week and a half).

Despite his outgoing personality, he looked rather intimidating at first glance. Numel was nearly as tall as Vader himself, and was a very muscular man. He had tanned skin and black eyes that seemed to glisten. His black hair was always slicked back out of his face.

However, contrary to popular belief due to his carefree air, Numel was terrified of Darth Vader.

As he walked down the corridor to reach the turbolift that would take him to Deck 4, Numel found himself sweating. Nervously wiping his brow, he glanced at his reflection in the window for a moment to see if he looked presentable before remembering that Vader wouldn't care about that anymore.

Numel had never been with Vader face-to-face. He had always worked on the _Stalker_, and while he had heard stories about Vader from the others who had previously been on the _Executor_, he never thought he himself would be facing the black demon himself.

_Stang,_ he cursed mentally. _How did I get myself into this situation, anyway? Stupid Kerrick… why did fate make me his friend?_

When Numel entered the turbolift, he spotted another officer leaning against the wall and staring at the floor. She hadn't seemed to have noticed him. Smiling, Numel entered the lift and casually stood beside her.

"Hey," he said in his deep voice. "My name's Numel."

The woman ignored him.

"Well, don't you have a name, my beauty?" Numel asked with a laugh.

The woman looked at him with cold, piercing eyes. "Well, _Numel_, do you have a last name, or are you one of those idiots who just introduce themselves with one name. _Hi, I'm Shinnan. Hi, I'm Nara. _What, are you some sort of waiter with no last name?"

Numel blinked a few moments before responding. "Uh, I was just introducing myself."

The woman straightened herself and glared. "People who introduce themselves to a superior give their rank and full name. People who introduce themselves to a female target don't care, and they seem to think that women only understand one word names. Let me give you an example of a _real_ introduction. Hello, I'm Lieutenant Commander Nara Sypikne. What's your name?"

"Er—did you say _lieutenant commander_?" Numel stuttered.

"Yes," Lieutenant Commander Sypikne replied.

The turbolift mercifully came to a stop on Deck 4. Numel gave his best smile and tipped his hat in her direction. "Right. Nice to meet you, ma'am,"

Crossing her arms in an annoyed fashion, the woman watched him exit the turbolift. When the doors closed, Numel blew out a breath.

"Well done, Numel," he muttered. "Another one for the ladies,"

Numel almost completely forgot why he was on Deck 4 when he suddenly walked by a young man in a lieutenant's uniform. Numel turned to face him and waved in a friendly manner. "Hey, how's it going?"

The lieutenant paused and turned hesitantly, looking at him curiously. Numel gasped when he recognized the face he had seen two days earlier when Vader had wandered onto the bridge. The eyes, particularly, were burned into his memory.

"Um," Numel stammered before opening and closing his mouth wordlessly and pointing at Vader like an idiot.

"Where's Kerrick Chelcu?" Vader asked.

"He's—he's busy," Numel managed to reply. "On the bridge,"

"Rule #1: Never go on the bridge," Vader sighed dramatically. "Humph!"

"What?"

"That's what Kobayashi said,"

"Oh,"

The two stared at each other for a moment before Vader turned to walk away. Numel watched him at first until he remembered that he was supposed to be teaching him. "Uh—uh, wait!"

Vader paused, but only briefly, not even sparing Numel a glance. When he reached the turbolift, he stopped again and turned to face Numel. "Why are you trembling?"

"What—I'm… uh, I—I'm not trembling," Numel lied horribly.

Vader watched him for a few seconds before saying, "She hates your guts, by the way,"

He entered the turbolift and the doors slid shut.

A few minutes crawled by, and then…

"Wait!"

Numel scrambled towards the turbolift and pounded the call button. Cursing and bouncing on his heels while waiting, Numel impatiently stood about until the lift finally arrived. He practically flew in the instant the doors opened and pressed for the bridge. As the turbolift sped to its destination, he paced in circles, anxiously wringing his hands together.

The doors finally opened and Numel ran out, heading straight for the bridge. For Kobayashi telling him not to be on the bridge, he obviously didn't listen very well. But, wait… what if Vader wasn't even going to the bridge?

Numel paused and looked about wildly, running to the nearest officer available. The officer was a dark-skinned young woman with crystal blue eyes. She had a tall but thin frame and looked a little uncertain as she walked down the hallway, occasionally glancing down to a data pad in her hand.

"Um, excuse me," Numel said as he approached. "Have you seen a young lieutenant with tan skin, sandy brown hair, and blue eyes walking through here?"

"No," the woman replied, shaking her head. "Does he have a scar by his right eye?"

"Yes!" Numel responded, clapping his hands together before pausing in confusion. "Wait—but you just said he didn't come through here."

"He hasn't," the woman shook her head again. "But I know him. He's supposed to be in his quarters, though. How do _you_ know him?"

"I'm supposed to be, uh, _instructing_ him,"

"Oh!" The woman nodded in realization. "Right, I remember. Lieutenant Commander Chelcu had said he got a substitute since he couldn't be there… but… wait a minute, you _lost_ him?"

Numel nodded sheepishly.

* * *

"I don't see why we just pull the plug. She's a _vegetable_,"

"No! I'm _not_ giving up on her,"

"Sola, I understand your concern, but—"

"You're not her doctor anyway, so go away!"

What was going on?

"Look, all I'm saying is that she's been comatose ever since… well, _that_ day. That's _five years_, Sola,"

"What is your point?"

"People who have been in comas for five years are too far gone. The only thing keeping her alive is the life support."

"Like I said before, I'm not giving up on her."

"All right… I'll go get the doctor, then."

Sola? Did someone say Sola? Ever since what day? What about five years?

"Doctor, how is she?"

"The same way she's always been, Mrs. Naberrie. That is, from her checkup a week ago."

"Well, what about now?"

"I was just coming to do her weekly checkup, Mrs. Naberrie. You can stay outside for now until I finish."

"Can't I just stand in here? I'll be out of your way."

"Very well,"

Doctors? What, was she in a medical center? What had happened? The last thing she remembered was…

_You brought him here to kill me!_

_Anakin_.

* * *

Numel found himself running alongside the woman as they frantically scoured the entire flagship of Death Squadron to find Darth Vader.

"I never got your name, by the way," he panted as they rushed through the medical wing.

"Ensign Zhymmia Kenzee,"

"My name's Lieutenant Numel Sanus,"

"Well, nice to meet you, sir," Ensign Kenzee said, nodding her head to him.

As they left the medical wing, Numel said, "The only place left on this deck is the mess hall."

The two made their way to the mess hall when they both froze in place at the sight of a superior officer in front of them. They both saluted and began to go around the officer in question when they were stopped.

"Where are you two going in such a hurry?" the officer asked.

"Um, we're going to the mess hall," Ensign Kenzee supplied.

As the ensign and the officer talked, Numel could have sworn he felt someone brush by him, but when he turned to look, he saw no one. _That_ was weird.

Suddenly, Numel caught sight of Carh'la and called out to her. She walked over and looked at him accusingly. "Why aren't you with Vader?"

"Um," Numel shrugged and then uncomfortably shifted his weight onto one foot, looking anywhere but in her direction.

Carh'la sighed in exasperation. "Where is he?"

"I don't really know,"

"And how did you lose him?"

"He kind of walked into the turbolift before I could reach him,"

"He just walked into the turbolift?"

"Yes,"

Carh'la looked at him for a moment longer before rolling her eyes. "Where did you last see him?"

"Uh, in front of the turbolift,"

"On what deck, idiot?"

"Deck 4,"

Carh'la gaped for a moment before smacking him over the head. "Are you trying to tell me that you haven't seen him at all since he vanished from his quarters?"

"Well, no, I… actually, yeah,"

"Lieutenant Commander Tade, what's the issue?" the officer who had been questioning Ensign Kenzee asked.

"Just a small matter," Carh'la replied, trying to hold her temper.

Ensign Kenzee walked up behind the officer and motioned for Numel to follow her to the mess hall. Thanking everything sacred in the galaxy, Numel snuck past the officer and joined the ensign.

The twosome entered the mess hall and searched high and low to no avail. By then, Ensign Kenzee finally began interrogating Numel further.

"Did you guys talk about anything before he ran off?" she asked him.

"Well, he asked where Lieutenant Commander Chelcu was and…"

The two paused in horror and ran back towards the turbolift, going as quickly as they could to Deck 12.

When they reached the bridge, they burst into the room and then looked around wildly. Kerrick spotted them and immediately walked over.

"Numel, what are you doing here?" he whispered hotly.

"Well, I'm kind of looking for Darth Vader," Numel replied.

"_What?"_

Suddenly, the sound of metal being yanked was heard and the entire bridge crew jumped to its feet.

"What was that?" Captain Mentzer barked.

Everyone looked around the room wildly until a lieutenant pointed toward the ceiling. "There, sir!"

All eyes went to where the lieutenant was pointing and Numel found himself staring at his missing charge. Vader was peeking out from a ventilation shaft and laughed at everyone's dumbstruck expressions.

"What are you _doing_ in there?" Kerrick asked.

"Well, Kobayashi told me not go on the bridge but he never said anything about being _in_ the bridge. I'm not standing on it, after all," Vader laughed again and his face disappeared as he reentered the ventilation shaft and closed the grate.

"W-wait!" Ensign Kenzee called out as she ran over. "Get out of there!"

The next two hours were spent painstakingly searching the ventilation system for Vader. Finally, after the entire ship began looking for him, Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott found him sneaking about in the engineering section. He was promptly dragged back to his quarters, sulking the whole way before innocently asking if he could leave to go exploring.

* * *

**Please review! :-D**


	10. Searching for Clues

**Hey! As I said on my profile, because of Christmas approaching, I'm doing a "Little One" marathon! Please continue to read, enjoy, and review!! :-D**

* * *

In Death Squadron, there was little time to relax, and when relaxation was available, the Imperials found that being anywhere Darth Vader was the _last_ thing that would ease their nerves. Nevertheless, the _Executor_ had two areas for relaxation: the mess hall and the lounge. While the mess hall was rather close to the bridge and other populated areas, the lounge was closer to the crew quarters.

In the lounge sat Kobayashi, Kerrick, Numel, Carh'la, Zhymmia, Moeema, Zan, and Marrax.

Zan and Marrax hadn't spent any time one-on-one with Darth Vader, but they soon would be; Kobayashi had told Zan that he couldn't make it to Vader's lesson the next morning. Zan, though nervous, was willing to substitute for him. Marrax, on the other hand, was still scared out of his wits by the mere thought of being alone with Vader.

"Okay, _after_ that fiasco yesterday, how did the lesson go?" Carh'la asked Numel.

Numel shrugged. "It was… weird. I never imagined that I'd be teaching Lord Vader galactic history. Do you know what he said when I mentioned the Clone Wars?"

"What?"

"He said it sounded like it had been set up," Numel said in a loud voice, still in shock over the comment. "He said that it seemed too… prepared. I asked him what he meant. I believe his exact words were: _Well, let's see; the Separatists suddenly are discovered to have an army and then out of nowhere a clone army appears?_"

"He actually said that?"

Numel nodded. "It caught me off guard, too. How can he say that was set up?"

Kerrick sighed. "I can tell you that it was _not_ set up. My father could attest to that."

"You never told us much about your family," Carh'la noted.

"Oh, what's there to say?" Kerrick laughed. "My father was a commander in the Clone Wars. He was on the _Valiant_ in the Open Circle Fleet. He even served under some famous people like General Anakin Skywalker. My mother was an engineer who worked on Corulag so she could take care of me and my older brother, Numm. My father died at the end of the war in the Battle of Coruscant. My mother followed soon after from an illness. Now, Numm and I share our childhood house. We and our families still live there."

"Wow, I didn't know about your parents," Numel said.

"You know, for being so social, Kobayashi, I've never heard about your past," Zan commented.

Kobayashi jumped and then laughed. "Uh, well, there's not much to discuss about it. Uh… I have an older brother, and my parents are still alive, and…"

"Are they proud of you?" Moeema asked.

"Why wouldn't they be?" Kobayashi laughed nervously. "Um, where's Ooke, anyway? I heard he wasn't in the engineering sections."

"Koby, he's teaching Vader right now, remember?" Kerrick prompted, furrowing his brow curiously at his friend's odd behavior.

"Oh, right! I forgot," Kobayashi shrugged. "You know, we can't just keep calling Vader _Little One_. What are we going to do when he goes out in public? He can't introduce himself that way."

"Call him Lo," Moeema supplied. "That's the name I came up with when I was being interrogated by Commander Sypikne,"

"What—did you say _Sypikne_?" Numel interrupted.

"Yes," Moeema nodded. "Why, have you run into him yet?"

"_Him?"_ Numel blubbered. "But—but Sypikne isn't a commander, and she isn't a _he_! She's Lieutenant Commander Sypikne!"

Kobayashi laughed. "You're talking about his _wife_, Numel. She can be a nasty one sometimes. Maybe that's why he married her."

"Uh… s-she's married?"

Kerrick rolled his eyes while Carh'la said, "You didn't flirt with her too, did you? You have this horrible tendency to flirt with all the married women in this fleet, you know that?"

Numel blushed and looked away. "Oh, shut up. I didn't know she was married."

The others could only laugh.

* * *

Ooke sighed as he watched Vader at work. The boy looked bored. Ooke had assigned him to go through the standard practice of making a simple repulsorlift. In ten minutes, with the parts Ooke had brought him, the boy had made three, and a hull to go around two of them.

"Little One, why don't we back down to engineering?" Ooke suggested. "This work is just too simple for you. Besides, I could use some help with the cooling unit; it's being a little temperamental."

Vader immediately perked up and jumped to his feet. "Okay, let's go!"

Ooke did everything he could to keep the boy from running down to the engineering section. When the two arrived, Vader looked around and immediately found the cooling unit. "How long has it been causing problems?"

"Two days," Ooke responded. Wait, who was teaching the lesson here? "Um, so, Little One, we've got a cooling unit that's mysteriously malfunctioning. What would you do?"

"It's no mystery," Vader replied in a dull tone, looking at the unit in question. "Someone forgot to clean out the filters. The unit's malfunctioning because the system automatically sealed off the filter due to toxic buildup."

Ooke gaped.

Vader walked off for a moment, leaving Ooke to stand alone with his jaw practically to the floor. Even after the discovery of Vader's talents two days ago, he still surprised Ooke.

When Vader returned, he had a toolbox with him. He opened a shaft that led to the inner workings of the cooling unit and crawled inside.

"Hey, wait, what are you doing?" Ooke said as he ran over.

"I'm switching out the filters and overriding the automatic shutdown." Vader answered.

"How is it that all my engineers didn't see a simple problem like this?" Ooke muttered to himself.

Vader apparently heard, because he answered, "Because they were looking for an actual malfunction on the unit's part, not a Human malfunction."

Ooke remained silent for a moment before saying, "Good point."

After easily fixing the unit, Vader emerged, smiling contently. "Can we go to the hangar now? I want to work on some of the ships."

"I don't think any ships need work, Little One," Ooke replied.

"Some of them must," Vader responded fervently. "Everything always needs a check-up."

Ooke laughed. "All right, then, let's go to the hangar. Maybe we can check on the _Fallen Angel_."

* * *

"_Padmé, stay strong, you have _twins_!"_

"_Obi-Wan… there is good in him… I know. I know there is… still…"_

"What? Do you mean she's actually pulling out of it?"

"That's what the doctor said! Can you believe it, Mom? After five years, she'll finally be alright."

Light was beginning to pierce into her ocean of uncertainty. The voices were starting to make more sense… however, her situation wasn't. Where was she? What about five years? Why did they keep saying that? How did she get from Polis Massa to wherever she was now? Where was Obi-Wan? Where was _Anakin_? What about the twins?

"Mommy, is Aunt Padmé going to wake up?"

"Yes, she is, Pooja."

Pooja! Sola! Mom! She struggled to open her eyelids, but they were too heavy. Instead, she settled for a low moan.

"Padmé! Padmé, can you hear me?" Sola asked.

Padmé grunted in response.

"Oh, Padmé, thank the Force you're alright!" she heard her father say.

Padmé once again tried to open her eyes, this time with some success. She could see that she was in a white room surrounded by medical equipment. It rather reminded her of Polis Massa, but it had a more soothing atmosphere. She was in a med center of some sort, _that_ much was certain.

"Wh… wha happ'n?" she slurred.

"Oh, Padmé!" her mother and father hugged her. Sola and her husband, Darred, watched from a distance while holding their children, Ryoo and Pooja.

Again, Padmé asked what had happened. Sola told Darred to take the younglings outside, which he did.

"Padmé… you've been in a coma for five years." Sola answered gently. "After… after the Declaration of a New Order, you gave birth and then fell into a coma."

"W-what?" Padmé stuttered, getting strong enough to talk properly. "What 'bout Anakin? Obi-Wan? The _twins_?"

Sola sighed. "Obi-Wan has been in hiding for five years. We don't know if he's… well, he's been in hiding. The twins are safe, Padmé."

"What about Anakin?"

Her family looked at each other uncertainly. Her mother shook her head. "Padmé, Anakin is… he's not Anakin anymore. They call him Darth Vader now."

* * *

"Koby, what are you doing?"

Kobayashi looked over at Moeema and smiled innocently. "I'm doing an experiment."

Zhymmia walked back into the room and collapsed on the couch. "I can't believe it. I've been searching all over the ship because Vader wasn't in his quarters when I went to teach him. You won't believe where I found him."

"Where?"

"He was in hangar bay twelve with Lieutenant Tunrott. The two were babbling on about some ship called _Fallen Angel_ and how they could modify it. When I approached the lieutenant, he told me that Vader was going to spend the rest of the day there."

Kerrick laughed. "It seems that Ooke has found a new engineering partner."

Zan remained silent while the others joined Kerrick in laughter. Moeema noticed and asked what was wrong. "Well… it's just that we're discovering all these things about Lord Vader, and… I don't know, it just seems like things are getting out of control. This is our fifth day with him, marking a full week, and he's almost killed the entire squadron, scared our captain out of his wits, and generally has wreaked havoc on this ship. What are we going to do?"

"Maybe we could investigate his quarters? He might have something in there that could help us." Numel suggested.

"Search Lord Vader's quarters?" Kerrick stood up. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Kerrick, it's not like he's going to stop us," Numel retorted. "_He'd_ probably want to explore them himself."

"I don't know…" Marrax muttered. "I don't like the idea, but it makes sense. Maybe… maybe we _should_ search his quarters."

"And what are we going to find? An entire history of Lord Vader?" Kerrick threw his arms up in the air. "I don't see what we're going to gain from this besides chills crawling up our spines."

"It's worth a shot," Numel stood up as well, facing Kerrick fully. "Besides, it might give us a clue as to what _happened_ to him."

"I suppose…" Zhymmia and the others began to agree.

Kerrick sighed and shrugged. "Very well… but we're _not_ taking Vader with us."

"I never proposed _that_," Numel replied. "I just said that he wouldn't care."

Kerrick nodded and the group stood up, leaving the room to go to Darth Vader's quarters.

As they approached the room, even Numel began to get second thoughts.

"Uh… are we sure we want to do this?" Zan asked the group in general.

"Well if it's the only way to find out what happened to Lord Vader…" Moeema muttered before shaking her head. "Come on, everyone. We agreed to do this, so let's go through with it."

Moeema led the group to the door and palmed the panel. The door opened with a soft hiss. From what they could see where they stood, the room was pitch black.

"Does he have a light switch in here?" Kerrick said.

Kobayashi shrugged. "Maybe his helmet glowed in the dark or something."

After receiving odd looks from the others, Kobayashi shrugged. "What? After what we've seen him do, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that he has wings and can survive in space without a ship."

"That would be an interesting sight to see…" Marrax mumbled under his breath.

Zhymmia, who had been groping the walls, finally found a light switch. However, when she activated it, the lights only turned on to an extremely dim setting.

"This is how he would normally have the lights?" Carh'la said in a skeptical tone.

"I guess so," Zan shrugged. "He always was the dark and brooding type, anyway."

"Um, why is there a big black egg over there?" Numel asked awkwardly, pointing to an egg-shaped pod.

The Imperials approached the pod and Kerrick figured out how to open it. The internal workings revealed that it was a meditation pod of some sort. A seat sat in the middle and was surrounded by consoles with different buttons for atmospheric settings.

"This must have been where he sat when he wasn't in his suit," Zhymmia assumed.

While the main group investigated the meditation pod, Numel and Carh'la looked around the rest of the room. On the other wall sat shelves covered with training droids. There was no bed to be seen in the room, nor were there any personal belongings. The room was as plain and as intimidating as Darth Vader had been, yet like Darth Vader, it still seemed to be hiding something.

"I'm not finding anything," Carh'la said to the group. "Any luck with that pod?"

"No," Kerrick responded. "This place is barren. There's not even evidence to say that Lord Vader lived here."

Suddenly, Kobayashi's comlink chimed.

"This is Lieutenant Beillane," Kobayashi answered.

Ryatsi's voice was heard. "Lieutenant Beillane, are you somewhere private?"

"Private enough, doctor," Kobayashi replied. "I'm with some of our coworkers right now."

"Coworkers for Little One?"

"Yes,"

"Good, because they need to hear this, too. I need you to find everyone and get over here to the medical wing. I found some interesting information on Lord Vader's medical records."


	11. Medical Files

**And the marathon continues! Don't forget to review!!**

* * *

Kobayashi ran into the medical wing first, followed by Kerrick, Zan, Zhymmia, Ooke, Marrax, Moeema, Mormi, Numel, Jifo, Shiine, and Rowan. Ryatsi stood waiting for them by one of the medical consoles.

"What did you find, Ryatsi?" Rowan asked as they all walked toward her.

"I found out why he was in the suit, for one thing." Ryatsi said as she stroked the screen to access the information. "You won't believe how much digging it took. These records are highly classified."

"How'd you get in, then?" Kerrick inquired.

Ryatsi sighed. "I got Vader to do it."

"_What?"_

"Yesterday after his classes were done, I took him to a console in the engineering section so he wouldn't panic, and then I told him to access the medical files for someone named Darth Vader. He—"

"You said his _name_?" Carh'la interrupted. "How did he react?"

"He didn't react at all," Ryatsi shrugged. "I didn't know what to expect, but he didn't react to it. He just nodded and said okay. It took him ten minutes to hack into the files—"

"So let me get this straight," Numel cut in. "You told Lord Vader to hack into high security files to find his _own_ medical file? Are you out of your mind?"

"I received orders from Captain Mentzer to find out what happened to him," Ryatsi argued. "If that means hacking into our own files, then so be it."

"Someone could notice that!" Mormi pointed out.

"I'm aware of the risks," Ryatsi said. "But I have no other choice. We _must _get this information. Besides, it certainly proved to be interesting. Listen to this: according to his medical file, Lord Vader had all four limbs amputated. He had severe third degree burns all over his body. He had to be fed intravenously, and his lungs were incapable of working for themselves. Something about this record worries me, though; if he was so dependent on this suit, then that means it was a sterile environment. His immune system may not be able to handle the pathogens that float in the air. He could get sick very easily. Has he been showing any signs of illness?"

Shiine was the first who was able to respond after assimilating the information. "Uh, no—no signs whatsoever from what I-I've seen."

"He's been fine with me, too," Kobayashi managed to say.

Everyone else agreed that so far, Vader had shown no signs of sickness.

Ryatsi sighed in relief. "Well, that's one less thing to worry about. Still, you need to keep a very close eye on him. I heard that he went traversing through the ventilation shafts yesterday. Do you know how dirty those things are?"

"Good Force, Ryatsi, you sound like my mother," Numel laughed.

"This isn't a laughing matter, particularly since I heard that _you_ were the one who lost him and let him climb into the ventilation shafts," Ryatsi folded her arms irritably.

"W-well…" Numel rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

* * *

Little One looked about the room in boredom. They had told him to stay in his quarters while they went to the medical wing (which he certainly did _not_ want to go to), but he had nothing to do!

Sighing in exasperation, Little One flopped onto his cot and remembered what Jifo had told him.

"_Uh, I have some urgent business in the medical wing, Little One. Don't leave until I come back."_

"Don't leave until I come back…" Little One muttered, mulling over the words. Jifo never said don't leave _the room_…

Smiling deviously, Little One hopped to his feet and ran out of his room. Laughing the whole way, he ran down to the odd place he had visited with Moeema before his classes began. Just as before, that mean man was still there. At least Little One knew his name now.

"Hi Commander Sypikne!" he said cheerfully as he looked around the dim and red-stained room.

"What—_you_ again?" Commander Sypikne stuttered before giving him a scrutinizing glare. "What are you doing down here, _Lo_?'

"Who's Lo?" Little One asked.

"T-that's _you_." Commander Sypikne said, looking irritated and unnerved at the same time. "What do you mean _who's Lo_?"

"Oh, _that's_ my name? But… but I thought my name was Little One," Little One said uncertainly.

One of the people in the odd white armor stepped forward. "Little One? Wow, you look different in this lighting."

Little One squinted at the man before recognizing him. "Ress!"

Ress removed his helmet, revealing the extremely familiar face that both haunted Little One and made him laugh. Something about Ress' face unsettled him deep inside.

There was nothing about Ress that would startle Little One under normal circumstances. Despite the scar going across his left cheek, and the military buzz cut that cropped his black hair, Ress looked perfectly normal. He had brown eyes that were always gentle when regarding Little One. His complexion was similar to Little One's, though it was a little lighter. He was always kind to Little One ever since the two had met when Little One wandered off from Ooke two days ago.

However, something in his face scared Little One. On the surface, Little One loved the company Ress provided, but deeper down, some part of him didn't trust Ress. A voice continually whispered, _Remember what happened with Order 66_, but he had no idea what that meant. The face also brought odd and blurred images in his head where he would hear people screaming and explosions.

"Trooper, you know this man?" Commander Sypikne said to Ress.

"Yes, sir," Ress nodded. "He's a friend of mine. He's a good man, sir."

"What is his actual name?"

"Uh, well, sir, I'm not quite sure. He introduced himself as Little One to me."

Commander Sypikne rounded on Little One. "What is your name, rank, and number?"

"Um…" Little One paused before replying, "My name's Little One, I don't really know my rank, and… my number is… thirty-two."

"Stop fooling around with me and answer me," the commander said in a low growl.

Something stirred in Little One and his eyes narrowed, growing cold. "My name is none of your concern."

Ress' eyes widened in surprise and the commander took a step back before retorting, "How dare you treat a superior officer in this way?"

"I dare because you're _not_ superior," Little One went on, even though a part of him wasn't sure why he was saying all those mean things.

"Little One," Ress said in a shocked tone.

Ress' tone of voice immediately ripped through the odd cold void that had been forming inside Little One. However, for a brief instant, that part of him wanted to lash out at Ress. Shaking his head, Little One muttered, "Oh, I'm sorry, Ress…"

Commander Sypikne approached Little One. "Answer my questions or face a formal interrogation, brat."

"I—I'm sorry, I… I don't get it… my name _is_ Little One and—and I don't know my rank…" Little One stuttered, taking a step back as the lights in the room seemed to dim.

Suddenly, the commander pulled a blaster pistol out and pointed it at Little One, who yelled out as everything in the room shattered, sending everyone to the ground.

* * *

There it was again! That person was using the Force again! If only he could sense who it was… but he couldn't; every time he tried, the signature would be muddled in a haze of confusion and fear.

Sighing in frustration, Obi-Wan looked out of his window at the impending sandstorm. After five years in exile, he was beginning to grow used to Tatooine's harsh climate, though he was also developing a similar hate for sand that Anakin used to have.

The mere mentioning of Anakin's name brought back memories Obi-Wan would rather _not_ relive. Forcibly pushing the memories out of his mind, Obi-Wan sadly looked away and went to bed for the night.

* * *

Ryatsi leaned against the wall while she talked to the others when Rowan's comlink suddenly beeped.

"Sorry," Rowan said as he grabbed his comlink. "This is Commander Chupa-Pau,"

"Commander, the security feed in the detention cell just stopped. I think the cameras are all broken!"

"What? What happened down there?" Rowan barked.

"Well, sir, I believe there was a person who called himself—"

Suddenly the voice was cut off and someone else began speaking through the comlink on the other end. "Commander Chupa-Pau, it's Little One. He wandered down to the detention center and Commander Sypikne began to ask him questions, such as his name and rank. Obviously, Little One didn't know how to answer so the commander began to get a little impatient, and… well, I'm pretty sure Little One panicked."

"Stang," Rowan cursed. "Who is this?"

"Ensign Wefaskan Noko, sir,"

"Ensign Noko, get down to the detention area. I'll meet you there."

"Yes, sir,"

Rowan cut the connection and looked at the others. Kerrick asked, "How does this ensign know about Lord Vader?"

"I assigned him to sub for Jifo a day or two ago," Kobayashi supplied.

Marrax rolled his eyes. "Naturally. You know everyone on the bloody ship."

Zan interrupted the conversation. "I believe we should be _going_ now."

"Right, let's go," Jifo agreed and everyone, including Ryatsi, ran to the detention center.

When they arrived, the room was dark. Glass shards were all over the floor, but there was no one in the room except for a lone man in an ensign's uniform.

"Ensign Noko, where are they?" Kobayashi asked the ensign.

"I have no idea, sir," Ensign Noko shrugged. "The place was empty when I got here."

Zhymmia looked around and then pointed down the hallway. "There! I see some people!"

Everyone ran to the other end of the corridor. Four stormtroopers and two officers, including Commander Sypikne, were sitting and waiting to find a way out.

"Commander Chupa-Pau," Sypikne said. "Do you have any idea where that blasted boy is?"

"What boy?"

"The one who claims to be called Little One,"

"I'm afraid I don't, Sypikne," Rowan responded. "We came down here looking for him as well. What happened?"

"The power went out just after everything shattered," one of the stormtroopers supplied. "Little One ran off, I believe, though I can't imagine where he could have gone with the power down."

"Power's back up," Ooke told the stormtrooper. "At least the emergency generator is,"

Ryatsi pointed back towards the main chamber. "I thought I saw someone moving over there."

Kobayashi ran ahead but claimed that no one was there. One of the stormtroopers joined him and called out to Little One. Amazingly, Darth Vader immediately answered the call and seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Where did you go off to?" Kobayashi asked.

"Nowhere," Vader shrugged, looking at Commander Sypikne fearfully.

"I believe we're going to have to imprison _this_ one," Commander Sypikne said, pointing an accusing finger at Vader, who recoiled.

"No," Rowan raised his hand. "You and I have a few things to discuss, Commander Sypikne. As for _you_," he added, looking at Little One. "You are going to have a few things to discuss with _them_,"

Rowan motioned towards the main group that had been charged with taking care of Vader. Darth Vader looked at them for a moment and then backed away, entering the turbolift. Mormi walked towards him and entered the lift just before the doors closed.

Rowan led Sypikne out of the room by means of another turbolift. Meanwhile, Kobayashi turned to the stormtrooper who had called out to Vader. "How do you know Little One?"

"I met him two days ago, sir," the stormtrooper responded. "He sort of ran into me. When I asked him what he was doing, he said he was avoiding Lieutenant Tunrott, sir. He said that the lieutenant was trying to torture him with a child's project."

"What's your name, trooper?" Kobayashi asked after stifling a snort of laughter.

"They call me Ress, sir," the stormtrooper said.

"Remove your helmet, trooper," Kerrick ordered.

The stormtrooper immediately did so, revealing the face of a clone.

"A clone trooper?" Jifo raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, sir," Ress replied. "I used to be part of the 501st before they reassigned me here to Death Squadron."

"How long were you with the 501st?" Moeema asked curiously.

"Since the beginning of the war, ma'am," Ress answered.

"Interesting," Kerrick muttered before saying, "Well, Ress, you'd best be cleaning this mess up."

"Yes, sir," Ress saluted the officers before putting his helmet on once more and walking over to the other stormtroopers.

Kobayashi looked at the others and motioned that they should leave. Everyone entered into the turbolifts and sped to Deck 4.

* * *

**Again, please review!**


	12. The Battle of Dantooine

**Thank you to all my reviewers!! :-D Let the marathon continue!**

* * *

"All right, Little One, now recite Emperor Palpatine's declaration of a new order," Kerrick told Vader.

Sighing dramatically, the boy faced him and said in a mundane tone, "_Citizens of the civilized galaxy, on this day we mark a transition. For a thousand years, the Republic stood as the crowning achievement of civilized beings. But there were those who would set us against one another, and we took up arms to defend our way of life against the Separatists. In so doing, we never suspected that the greatest threat came from within. _

"_The Jedi, and some within our own Senate, had conspired to create the shadow of Separatism using one of their own as the enemy's leader. They had hoped to grind the Republic into ruin. But the hatred in their hearts could not be hidden forever. At last, there came a day when our enemies showed their true natures. _

"_The Jedi hoped to unleash their destructive power against the Republic by assassinating the head of government and usurping control of the clone army. But the aims of would-be tyrants were valiantly opposed by those without elitist, dangerous powers. Our loyal clone troopers contained the insurrection within the Jedi Temple and quelled uprisings on a thousand worlds. _

"_The remaining Jedi will be hunted down and defeated! Any collaborators will suffer the same fate. These have been trying times, but we have passed the test. The attempt on my life has left me scarred and deformed, but I assure you my resolve has never been stronger. This has been the most trying of times, but we have passed the test. The war is over!_

"_The Separatists have been utterly defeated, and the Republic will stand. United! United and free!_

"_The Jedi Rebellion was our final test—it was the last gasp of the forces of darkness! Now we have left that darkness behind us forever, and a new day has begun! It is morning in the Republic!_

"_Never again will we be divided! Never again will sector turn against sector, planet turn against planet, sibling turn against sibling. We are one nation, indivisible!_

"_To ensure that we will always stand together, that we will always speak with a single voice and act with a single hand, the Republic must change. We must evolve. We must grow. We have become an empire in fact; let us become an Empire in name as well! We are the first Galactic Empire!_

"_We are an Empire that will continue to be ruled by this august body! We are an Empire that will never return to the political maneuvering and corruption that have wounded us so deeply; we are an Empire that will be directed by a single sovereign, chosen for life!_

"_We are an Empire ruled by the majority! An Empire ruled by a new Constitution! An Empire of laws, not of politicians! An Empire devoted to the preservation of a just society. Of a safe and secure society! We are an Empire that will stand ten thousand years!_

"_We will celebrate the anniversary of this day as Empire Day. For the sake of our children. For our children's children! For the next ten thousand years! Safety! Security! Justice and peace!"_

Vader paused and sighed before saying, "His address is really annoying,"

"Why is that?"

"I don't know, it's just… something about it seems… dirty…"

Kerrick folded his arms and sat down on Vader's cot and took a deep breath. "I don't see what's dirty about it. Emperor Palpatine is ensuring that we never have a situation like the Clone War again."

"But then what about the Rebel Alliance?" Vader said earnestly. "I mean, they're stupid and annoying and everything, but if Emperor Palpatine said that the Empire would be a safe, secure, just, and peaceful one, then the Rebels wouldn't even exist, right?"

"Lo, any plan sounds ideal until you implement it and enter the sentient factor. Someone is going to try to ruin your plans, for good or for ill. The Rebels are trying to destroy our wonderful Empire. That's why we're fighting them." Kerrick said, tilting his head forward.

"I guess so…" Vader muttered, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. Still, the boy returned to his history work.

Kerrick pondered over how they had been schooling Vader. The first week had gone relatively well. They had all managed to juggle their busy schedules to where they could teach him and when one officer could not make it, another would fill in for him or her. By the time the week was over, nearly half the ship was involved in tutoring the young Sith Lord. Everyone knew him either by Little One or "Lo," a name that had be ingeniously invented on the spot by Moeema. While they called him Little One to cheer him up, most of the time they addressed him by an actual name, and he began to respond to it.

However, now some big problems were beginning to arise, such as experimenting on Vader. Kerrick remembered that Captain Mentzer had ordered the doctors to start running tests on Vader to see what had happened.

Kerrick dreaded the thought of having Vader being tested on, and Ryatsi did not seem to like the idea either. She even went so far as to protest to the captain's face, but he ignored her words and ordered her to do it or risk being charged with insubordination.

Kerrick watched Vader as he studiously looked over the history work that had been assigned to him. The lieutenant commander sighed as he sat on Vader's cot. He knew the testing would begin today, but he did not know when. However, he found that question answered very quickly.

Darth Vader was reading about the Battle of Jabiim during the Clone Wars when he suddenly froze. His head shot up and his eyes darted to the corner of the room, slowly moving towards the door as if he were watching something.

"Eh—what are you doing, Little One?" Kerrick asked.

"Someone's coming," Vader said in a flat tone.

The door opened to reveal two stormtroopers and a doctor standing in the doorway.

The power immediately went out.

* * *

Captain Ton Mentzer sighed as he fingered the generator which was producing a holo of his fiancée. He missed her dearly, but he had told her that he would remain in Death Squadron so he could serve Darth Vader. He had always feared and admired Darth Vader, seeing him as the greatest enforcer who let nothing get in his way. Now that he acted like a youngling… it wasn't disgraceful; Vader couldn't help it. It _was_, however, _extremely_ awkward.

Ton had ordered the doctors to perform tests on Darth Vader to see what in the blazes had happened. Nothing that he knew of could possibly make someone revert to a younger age. According to medical records, Vader was supposed to be twenty-seven, a fact that had surprised Ton greatly. Practically the entire Empire, even those who did respect the Sith Lord, thought Vader was much older. Part of the reason was because if Vader was twenty-seven now, than he had been twenty-two when he first joined the Empire. When Ton was twenty-two he was in _college_ for Force's sake!

Ton's thoughts were quickly interrupted when the power flickered and then died. Standing up, he immediately activated his comlink. "Captain Mentzer to engineering,"

"Sir, we don't know what happened, the power just failed!"

Ton restrained an exasperated sigh. Half of the ship now knew about Vader's mannerisms and abilities, and Ton was no exception. Something had startled the young man and Death Squadron had to pay for it.

Immediately, Ton changed the frequency on the comlink. "Captain Mentzer to Lieutenant Commander Chelcu,"

"Yes sir?"

"Do you mind explaining why the power just died?"

"Well, sir, if you hadn't sent those doctors—"

The ship rumbled and shook, sending Ton flailing to the ground. The ship continued to vibrate before it suddenly lurched, throwing Ton out of his quarters and into the hallway. "What in the _blazes_—"

His comlink chimed numerous times. Ton contacted the bridge first. "What is going on up there?"

"Sir, when the power went out, we dropped out of hyperspace! We… oh, Force…"

"What is it?" Ton snapped.

"Sir, I believe we just found the Rebel base,"

Ton gaped. He was stunned speechless for about ten seconds before snapping back into reality. "We—we _what_? Where are we?"

"Dantooine, sir,"

"Get everyone to their battle stations immediately!" Ton ordered before cutting the connection and running towards the turbolift. He stopped when he reached the doorway, cursing when he remembered the power was down. He once again contacted engineering. "Get that power up, now!"

* * *

Kerrick desperately tried to calm down a frantic Vader. "Come on, Lo, they're not going to hurt you now…"

"No, why are they here, I didn't do anything!" Vader protested, trying to get out of the room and away from the doctors.

Suddenly, Ryatsi ran into the area. "Get out of here, come on! We've got casualties!"

The doctors ran off, much to Kerrick and Vader's relief. The power slowly began returning, and then Rowan's voice was heard over the loudspeaker. "Everyone to their battle stations immediately! This is not a drill!"

Cursing, Kerrick looked at Vader. What were they going to do with him? They had never even considered having to deal with a battle scenario, but that was utterly foolish of them. They were in the most feared and powerful fleet in the galaxy; although this meant they were less likely to be attacked, it also meant they were more likely to be on the offensive. But what had happened? They were supposed to be in hyperspace. Vader must have knocked the fleet out the hyperdrive when he panicked… so where were they?

"Little One, please just stay here," Kerrick ordered him. "Don't leave your quarters, no matter what happens, all right?"

Vader nodded, a little fearful. Kerrick prayed that he wouldn't cause the power to go out once more. If the power failed during a battle, they were all as good as dead.

Kerrick leapt up and ran out of the room, rushing towards the turbolifts and immediately pressing for the bridge.

* * *

As everyone gathered on the bridge and went to their battle stations, Captain Mentzer looked at Kobayashi and pulled him aside. "Lieutenant Beillane, I want you to find Lord Vader and stay with him. Do anything you can to keep him safe, but _especially_ keep him calm. We can't have any technical issues."

Kobayashi nodded. "Yes, sir,"

Kobayashi turned and ran out of the bridge, nearly pounding the turbolift door so it would move faster. Once he reached Deck 4, he practically flew into the corridor and opened the door to Vader's room.

Darth Vader looked at him curiously, but did not look surprised. He had probably sensed Kobayashi coming from the bridge. The thought made Kobayashi's skin crawl; it was still unsettling to think that Vader knew everything he was doing.

"Hi, Koby," he said calmly. His normally excited demeanor had lessened immensely. He seemed too calm… something was wrong with him, Kobayashi could tell. Dealing with the boy for a week had shown Kobayashi that much.

Vader's normal temperament was excited and curious. He would always ask questions and always look for ways to bend the rules, for an innocent reason, but disobedient nonetheless. One thing Kobayashi had never seen from him, though, was a sense of inner strength and patience. This was exactly what he was seeing now. Vader was not panicking, nor was he even scared in the least. Kobayashi knew that it wasn't because Vader didn't realize they were in a battle; he could tell the Sith Lord knew perfectly well. He was fully aware of the situation. Instead, he was waiting to see what happened. His entire body had gone rigid with anticipation. Kobayashi was starting to see the Darth Vader he had known for the past three years.

* * *

"Stang," Jifo cussed as he looked at the targeting computer. "Captain, they're all over us!"

"Send out the TIE squadrons," the captain ordered.

Other officers carried out the orders as Jifo stroked the screen to activate one of the Super Star Destroyer's turbolasers. It fired and destroyed the engines of one of the Rebel ships.

The moment they had been knocked out of hyperspace, they found themselves face-to-face with the entire Rebel fleet. Apparently the Rebels were preparing to leave when they arrived, but their arrival seemed unexpected. Though the Rebels were the first to attack, they had paused for a minute that seemed an eternity to Jifo. Both sides had stared at each other in blank shock before opening fire.

"Aim for their capital ships," Captain Mentzer told Jifo and the others manning the turbolasers.

"Yes, sir," they chorused together.

Jifo immediately targeted the nearest capital ship, aiming for the bridge. Suddenly an alarm blared loudly, causing the ensign to flinch slightly.

Rowan looked at his data screen and whipped around to face Captain Mentzer. "Sir, there's a boarding party!"

"Send a squad to eradicate them," the captain yelled.

Jifo felt his entire body stiffen. This was just getting worse and worse.

* * *

Kobayashi paced Vader's room restlessly, fingering his blaster. Vader watched him for a short while before his eyes suddenly narrowed and then widened. He looked in a different direction and jumped to his feet.

"What's wrong?" Kobayashi immediately asked. The last thing he needed was for Vader to panic.

"Somebody's coming!" Vader whispered.

"Who's coming?"

Vader paused, as if he were listening for something, before he growled, "Rebels,"

Kobayashi blanched. "What? How did Rebels get here?"

The ship rocked and then everything grew still. It was like being in the eye of the storm. Nothing made a sound. The lights flickered and then died, leaving the dim red glow of the emergency power. Frightened, Kobayashi looked at Vader, but he seriously doubted that the Sith Lord caused the problem. Vader was looking intently at the door. There was no fear in his eyes.

Above them, Kobayashi heard footsteps. Worry and fear began to leak into his mind. He started perspiring, wiping his brow and panting softly. He _hated_ this feeling. Being boarded was one of the worst feelings a naval officer could get; having the enemy on your own ship was a nightmare, _especially_ if they were skilled. Many Imperials thought of Rebels as barbaric fools, but Kobayashi had heard too much of the contrary to believe it. With the intense glare Vader was giving, Kobayashi knew better than to underestimate that boarding party.

Both occupants in the room jumped at the sound of blaster fire and screams. All of Vader's intense scrutinizing vanished in an instant. Any hope of the power returning faded as fear began to glitter in his eyes. The red emergency lighting went out. All sound dissipated. They were truly floating dead in the water.

"Little One, it's going to be alright," Kobayashi tried to reassure the boy, but he couldn't even stop the quiver in his own voice. He knew that with Vader's perception his tone of voice would _not_ help.

The air seemed to grow thick with tension as the two waited in complete silence. Kobayashi didn't dare make any movement for fear of attracting the Rebels. They couldn't see them, but in this dead silence, anything would make a loud noise. Still… they had to get out of there. Kobayashi didn't care how scared they were, keeping Darth Vader alive was his priority and objective; he _had_ to go through with it.

"Come on," he said to Vader, sneaking up to the door and pressing his ear against it. He didn't hear anything… there was the possibility that the boarding party had moved on. There was also the possibility that they were lingering in the hallway.

Cursing, Kobayashi decided that they couldn't wait any longer. He reached for Vader's sleeve and pulled the boy towards the door. This immediately proved to be a deadly mistake.

"No!" Vader nearly yelled. Kobayashi smacked a palm to the boy's mouth in order to silence him, but the damage was already done.

"Did you hear that?"

"What was that?"

Kobayashi pulled Vader and shoved him under his cot. He then pulled out his blaster and hid in the corner by the door, waiting for the Rebels. Sweat trickled down his face as fear gnawed at his insides, which was _not_ helping the situation.

The echoing footsteps drew closer. No other noise was heard, not even Vader or Kobayashi's breathing. It was almost as if the galaxy were holding its breath in anticipation, waiting to see what would happen next.

Judging from the footsteps, Kobayashi could guess that there were at least ten men, but the echoes were doing an extraordinary job of muffling the sound. There was no way he could be certain how many people were on their way. It grew silent…

BANG!

Kobayashi jumped and heard Vader jump as well. The Rebels were kicking the door.

"Damn power outage," one of the Rebels muttered, giving Kobayashi some hope. Perhaps they would just pass by… or perhaps not.

A circle began to trace its way around the door, glowing white hot. They were using a fusion cutter to break into the room. Kobayashi clutched his blaster even tighter. He at least had the element of surprise on his side. He prayed that Vader would remain hidden and not get in the way.

The circle was completed and kicked in by a large black boot. A Rebel began to step into the room… just one more moment… wait for it… wait for it…

Silently, Kobayashi took aim just as the man entered.

Then he fired.

The room was immediately lit up by his blaster fire. The Rebel crumpled to the ground. The hole in the door would slow the other soldiers down. They would have to enter one by one, thinning them out so Kobayashi could pick them off bit by bit, soldier by soldier. This should have been relatively easy.

At least until the Wookiee knocked the entire door down.

About fifteen troopers stormed in, firing all at once. Kobayashi shot off as many blasts as he could before he felt a fire erupt in his gut. He screamed out in pain, falling back. He couldn't give up… he couldn't stop fighting… he couldn't let them find Vader…

Kobayashi lifted his now trembling blaster hand and fired but the shot went wild. The Rebels approached him, ready to finish him off…

An inhuman scream was heard and the world went black.

* * *

Lieutenant Ooke Tunrott frantically worked to get the power going once again. The air began to grow chilly as atmospheric conditioning within the ship faded. Even his glow rod's light seemed to be fading.

"Damn," he cursed. "Nothing's been right since that bloody outpost,"

He continued to fumble with the wiring of the power conduit he had been fixing when his fingers suddenly stiffened. He took a sharp intake as his entire body shuddered. A gnawing fear began enveloping him, almost overpowering the unsuspecting lieutenant. Where in the blazes had _that_ come from?

The fear remained, eating away at his very being. He couldn't work with this pain… there was no way he could concentrate… where was this_ coming _from?

Gasping, Ooke fell to the ground, dropping his hydrospanner. The fear had suddenly changed. Waves of nausea overpowered the lieutenant. This wasn't fear… not anymore, at least… what was going on?

"Sithspit," he muttered.

The feeling was clawing at him. The fear had originally felt like his insides were twisting and churning but now it had changed drastically. It felt like his insides were _burning_.

Nearby, Ooke heard someone else drop a tool and collapse to the ground. Most likely it was the chief engineer, Commander Katsure. He had been repairing the life support systems.

"S-sir…?"

A moan was heard, but nothing more. Ooke moaned as well and then gasped in horror. His world turned deep red, almost as if he were wearing blood-soaked spectacles. What was going _on_? Was he having a seizure or something? He tasted blood in his mouth, he could _smell_ it…

Suddenly, he and his superior officer jumped as they heard a savage roar.

* * *

The entire battle had stilled. Every Imperial had collapsed to the ground in pain and terror at whatever was eating away at their insides. The horrible smell of blood stank in the air, making some feel like they were going to wretch. As for the Rebels, a sudden dread filled them as they heard the most inhuman scream any of them had ever heard. It wasn't a scream of pain, or terror.

It was a scream of blinding, bloodthirsty rage.


	13. Vader's Wrath

**Three days until Christmas!!**

* * *

Lo shivered slightly as he huddled under the bed where Kobayashi had shoved him. He could sense them… he could _see _them… he could _smell_ them… they were coming and they would do anything to find them.

Kobayashi retreated to the corner of the room, just to the right of the door. Lo watched fearfully and then his eyes flickered towards the door. He heard their voices; he could see them in his mind. They were perspiring from working their muscles but their adrenaline kept their hearts racing and their minds alert. One of them reached for a fusion cutter, motioning to the others to stand aside. He activated the tool and immediately began tracing a large circle around the door leading to Lo's room.

They were coming in.

Little One tried to slink further back under the bed and towards the wall, but the space was small and he had gone as far as he could go. Kobayashi tightened his grip on his blaster, readying it for battle. He leveled it to the door, waiting for the people to enter.

Lo had an idea who these people were. The Rebel Alliance had only been mentioned as a side note and never directly mentioned, but Lo had latched onto it. It had sounded so… familiar. It sounded so… _disgusting._ When they had first said the name, Little One had _hated_ it.

Now he knew why. These Rebels were demons out to hurt him and his family. He hoped Kobayashi would be alright.

The soldier finished his work on the door and kicked the sliced metal. He was the first to enter into the room. Kobayashi held his ground, watching, waiting… and then he fired.

The man crumpled to the ground, not moving. Was he… was he…?

He was dead.

Little One had never directly heard about death from the others. Somehow, Lo never asked about death because he never needed an explanation. In fact, he wanted to _avoid_ the topic altogether. The very word brought images of corpses to his mind, and he didn't even know where they came from.

Suddenly, a Wookiee knocked the entire door down, allowing all of the soldiers to rush in at once. Kobayashi's surprise attack was over. They immediately turned to face him. Lo held his breath in horror. They… they wouldn't dare!

The Rebels opened fire. Kobayashi shot back as much as he could, but inevitably, Lo heard it… he heard Kobayashi's cry of pain… of defeat…

_Of death_.

Death… _death…_ _no…_

Kobayashi feebly lifted his blaster in an attempt to continue the fight as the blood leaked out of his gut. The Rebels drew close to him, preparing to finish the job.

Lo didn't know what to do. The world around him seemed to slow down. What would have been a second seemed an hour. He was so terrified and horrified at the same time… what could he do? He didn't know how to wield a blaster or fight like the others did! What could he _do_? He couldn't… he couldn't just let Kobayashi _die_… no… _NO!_

"_Mom…"_

"_Ani, is that you? You look so handsome,"_

"_I've come to rescue you, Mom,"_

"_Ani… I—I love…"_

Blood… he could smell it… he could taste it… he could _feel_ it… and he would shed it.

Everything grew hazy and… _red_… everything was covered in blood… and he _loved it_.

An animalistic growl rumbled in his throat as his clear blue eyes turned red. The Rebels drew closer, walking in slow motion. Lo wouldn't let them get any closer to Kobayashi. The animalistic growl erupted into a full-blown roar of rage. He would get those Rebels… he would _kill_ them!

Lo burst out from under the bed and thrust his arms out in both directions, sending a powerful wave through the air. The Rebels tumbled and went flying. Sickening crunches accompanied their impact into each other or the walls. There was only one left, and that was the stubborn Wookiee.

Grabbing the beast's throat, Lo lifted the Wookiee up to where his feet were dangling off the ground. Little One kept the grip deathly tight. He watched the light fade from the Wookiee's eyes and then smiled, throwing the corpse against the wall. He then turned to Kobayashi, kneeling beside him. Kobayashi was slumped against the wall, his eyes closed, and his mouth hanging open slightly.

Rage filled Lo even further. No Rebel would live through this day!

* * *

Jifo had been at his post dutifully when the power had gone out. Then the fear came. He knew where _that _was coming from. Captain Mentzer did as well.

Cursing the captain muttered, "I told that lieutenant to keep him calm!"

The fear remained, giving the bridge a dark atmosphere. Jifo thought it couldn't get any worse, but it did. The fear went away and was replaced by a horrible gnawing feeling. His insides went white hot and then suddenly went cold, almost as if he were dead. The others felt it as well. A collective gasp of pain went around the bridge. The captain fell to his knees.

Jifo leaned against his console, feeling sick to his stomach with the smell of blood overpowering his senses.

Suddenly, realization struck him like lightning. The memories of Death Squadron losing power and everyone feeling Vader's emotions came to mind immediately.

Jifo bolted up. He had to find Vader. Stumbling through the depression where most of the consoles were, Jifo climbed up to the catwalk and rushed out of the bridge, keeping his blaster ready. He had to find Vader. He had to find him.

_He had to find him!

* * *

_

He knew it was his duty to watch the boy… but this was important as well. If he didn't figure out what was going on, the boy wouldn't live much longer.

Obi-Wan Kenobi shouldered his sack and closed the door to his hovel. The Force-sensitive person's demeanor had changed drastically. The person had been accessing the Force instinctively before. The person had been terrified and confused. Now, though… the person was consumed by an animalistic rage.

This person was going for the kill.

He had to find him.

* * *

"_Die!"_

Lo's scream pierced the air, an octave below how it would normally sound. The Rebels dropped one by one, blood spilling onto the floor. It dripped from Lo's hand, where he held a jagged pipe that had been broken out of the wall during the space battle. The other ships outside were still silent and still. Not a soul breathed.

As he felt it trickle down his hand, his red hazy world grew darker and murkier. He could feel himself slipping away. He could practically feel the lust for blood heightening. It was getting worse. He was losing control…

He didn't care.

More odd thoughts and words appeared in his mind, only spurring him further.

"_Anakin, Palpatine is evil!"_

"_From my point of view, the Jedi are evil!"_

"_Well then you are lost!"_

"_GYAAAAAAAHH!!!!!!!" _Lo brought the pole down and bashed a soldier's head in, watching blood ooze out. He could see pieces of the person's skull. A piece of him felt sick, but it was drowned out by pleasure.

"_Master Skywalker, there are too many of them! What are we going to do?"_

Sweat and blood weren't the only things trickling down Lo's face.

* * *

Emperor Palpatine paced his throne room restlessly, accessing the Force. He knew that signature of pure hatred anywhere, but it hadn't been so out of control and animalistic since Mustafar. What was going on?

The door opened and an officer entered, bowing and saying, "Your shuttle is ready, my lord."

"Very good," Palpatine replied.

The officer left and Palpatine paused for a moment before leaving as well. He went to the hangar bay and boarded an Imperial shuttlecraft that would take him to Death Squadron's last known location. Although the issue with the rogue Force-sensitive was troublesome, it was nothing in comparison to Vader's sudden outburst. Something had gone wrong, something that would cause Vader to lose all control of his emotions. After Mustafar, Palpatine hadn't suspected the boy to have that much rage left in him.

The shuttle's engine roared to life and in a few minutes, the pilot was plotting the hyperspace coordinates.

* * *

Padmé moaned as a migraine suddenly hit her. Sola, who had been sitting beside her, jumped to her feet.

"Padmé, what's wrong?"

"Headache," she mumbled, a hand immediately going to her head.

Sola called for the doctor, who quickly surmised that nothing was physically wrong with her. Sola asked Padmé when it started. Padmé responded by saying it just happened. Her sister worried over her without moving. She offered to get some water and Padmé let her.

While Sola was gone, Padmé leaned back against the pillow and groaned. Odd images floated through her mind before she heard Anakin's voice in the midst of it.

_No! I'm not losing anyone else!_

"Anakin?" Padmé muttered. "Anakin, where are you?"

All of a sudden, the migraine vanished as quickly as it came.

* * *

Jifo growled in irritation as he literally swam through the hallway. The last of the atmospheric conditioning had died away, which meant the artificial gravity died. Jifo had to push himself from the wall and propel forward. Thankfully there was no friction to slow him.

He knew that the life support had died. They were currently breathing the air that had been pumped through the ventilation system before the power went out. That meant that eventually, they would suffocate if the power didn't return.

Death by suffocation was the _last_ thing that Jifo had in mind. However, he pushed those thoughts out of his head as he desperately tried to get to the emergency ladder that led to all the decks. He opened the hatch on the other wall, just beside the turbolift. Inside was a small circular tube that went through all the decks. A ladder was attached to the wall opposite of the hatch.

Jifo floated into the chamber and used the ladder to pull himself downward and then stopped himself when he reached Deck 4. He opened the hatch and entered the corridor.

Avoiding debris that was floating in the hallway, Jifo finally reached Vader's room. However, when he looked at the door, he saw that it had been broken down.

Cursing harshly, Jifo pulled himself into the room and looked around. He suddenly saw bodies of dead Rebels. _A part of the boarding party_, he surmised. _But where are Kobayashi and Vader?_

As he turned himself around to search for the twosome, he caught sight of a body with an Imperial uniform floating in the corner of the room. His heart stopped and his breath caught in his throat.

"No…" he muttered, pushing himself towards the body.

It was Kobayashi.

* * *

**Okay, that was a very un-Christmasy chapter. O_O **

**Review!  
**


	14. Battle Casualties

"Not good, not good, not good!" Obi-Wan muttered continuously as he ran. Ever since he had met Anakin, _ever since that day_, trouble had _always_ been following him!

The sudden thought of his friend caused a deep pain to arise, but Obi-Wan fiercely fought it back down. Now was _not_ the time, particularly when he had Imperial stormtroopers chasing him!

Rounding the corner, Obi-Wan leapt off the Imperial frigate just as the ramp closed. Thank the Force for _that_.

Since he had decided to investigate the disturbance, Obi-Wan had stowed away on an Imperial frigate (a crazy idea to be sure, but Obi-Wan had learned to take risks from Anakin). The only problem was that he had _no_ idea where he was since he had to get off after they discovered his presence.

Obviously he wasn't on a planet. He was in a space station of some sort, possibly an outpost. As Obi-Wan wandered around (since he was thankfully in a disguise that allowed him to look like a traveler) he stopped and asked one of the shopkeepers where he was.

"Well, you're near air lock Besh," the shopkeeper replied. "Do you need directions?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan immediately nodded. "I need to know where the directory is."

The shopkeeper pointed out the directory and Obi-Wan was on his way. When he looked at the top of the directory, his eyebrows raised. He was on an Imperial outpost called Outpost 37752.

Something about the outpost seemed odd to Obi-Wan. It wasn't that there were Imperials constantly going about the area… it was something in the Force. A Force imprint of some sort was lingering the air. It was familiar in a way, and yet it wasn't.

More than confused, Obi-Wan merely followed the Force and allowed it to take him to the laundry room. He walked right towards the incinerator on the other end of the room and he gazed down. Why was he looking at the incinerator?

In his mind, he heard a distant breathing. It was rhythmic and constant, but it sounded far too harsh to be natural. Where had he heard that sound before?

A memory of a HoloNet news report Obi-Wan had seen in Mos Eisley suddenly came to mind. The report had shown the monster that Anakin had—no, it showed _Darth Vader_. Though the reporter was talking, there had been a short clip where it was audio as well as visual. Vader had said nothing, but his breathing could be heard in the background. It sounded just like the breathing Obi-Wan was hearing now.

Vader had been here. Recently.

* * *

Jifo went as fast as he could. He could feel the anger emanating from a certain part of the ship. When he arrived, he realized it was the medical ward. What he saw made him literally wretch.

Blood was floating in the air, as well as broken tools. In the midst of it were Rebel corpses, some contorted and others completely torn up as if they had been through the internal workings of an AT-ST. Off in the distance, Jifo heard the sound of something stabbing into flesh, followed by a scream of pain.

Jifo floated towards the sound despite every sense and thought in him saying otherwise. He could see him now.

Darth Vader was just releasing his most recent victim. In his hand was a laser scalpel that was still activated. The Rebel floated away, motionless. Jifo didn't know how he could vomit anything up considering he had already spilled his lunch and dinner all over the hallway earlier, but he somehow managed to do it once again.

The noise he made in the process attracted the attention of the Sith Lord. Vader looked at him with fierce yellowish eyes that made him look demonic. Jifo fearfully tried to get away when he looked at those eyes. However, the appearance of more Rebels from the boarding party interrupted that thought. One of them immediately began to fire, even catching Vader off guard, though the latter quickly compensated.

Vader began to fly towards the Rebel, but Jifo shot the target before Darth could get to him. The others were quickly killed by Jifo's skillful aim.

Darth Vader floated without moving. The only noise heard was his panting. He didn't face Jifo.

"Little One," Jifo said in a fierce tone. "You have to calm down. I know you're upset about Kobayashi, but you need to _stop_. Koby is _alive_. He's just seriously injured. We have to find a doctor to treat him. Where are all the doctors?"

Vader didn't move.

"Lo, _where are they?_"

Still, Jifo got no response.

Getting desperate, Jifo yelled, "Lord Vader!"

Immediately Vader stiffened and faced him. Jifo took the opportunity to quickly say, "Little One, _stop_."

The yellow in the boy's eyes faded away and Vader broke down right there, screaming about not wanting anyone else to be hurt. Jifo even heard him saying he could have stopped it.

"No, Little One, I don't think anybody expected this," Jifo comforted him. "Now tell me, where are the doctors?"

"I—I don't know," Vader hiccupped. "I think one was in here when a Rebel shot him."

"What about all the patients?"

"They're dead," Vader moaned. "Including—including…"

"Including who?"

Vader couldn't say it. He merely pointed to one of the corpses. Jifo gasped, horrified.

* * *

Palpatine meditated as he impatiently waited for the shuttle to pull out of hyperspace. Vader's anger had died down, but it wasn't entirely gone. He could sense it simmering. Lord Vader still had an animalistic rage that was waiting to emerge once again. However, something was holding it back. _Someone_ was holding it back. Interesting.

"Your Highness, we are exiting hyperspace," the pilot informed him.

The hyperdrive disengaged and Palpatine immediately stretched his senses. They were at Outpost 37752, the last known location of Death Squadron. Palpatine was rendezvousing with a fleet tasked with accompanying him wherever he went. Palpatine had already sent orders that the fleet was to locate Death Squadron.

Palpatine set foot upon the outpost and looked about. He sensed someone nearby…

* * *

Cursing, Obi-Wan hid his Force signature. What in the _blazes_ was the emperor doing here? Why did he have to show up when Palpatine decided to visit? Blasted Imperial shuttle…

Obi-Wan quietly and discreetly made his way across the outpost towards air lock Aurek. He saw a shuttlecraft and immediately boarded it. There had to be a way to get out of here without being discovered.

* * *

Ryatsi moaned as she regained consciousness. She had been knocked out when an explosion threw a crate right into her after the artificial gravity had died. Apparently it was still offline, though for some reason the battle seemed to have paused for a moment. Ryatsi looked outside of the window to see the Rebel ships just floating there in space. Did they lose power, too?

Suddenly, Ryatsi felt gravity throw her to the ground. She heard the sound of the generators coming to life once again and the lights flickered before activating. The air immediately began to grow warmer. All around her she could hear people and machinery landing heavily upon the ground.

Immediately, the other ships began lighting up once more. The turbolasers began to fire on both sides and the _Executor_ rocked with an impact.

Cursing, Ryatsi pulled herself to her feet. How long had she been out? What had happened in that time? Where were the two doctors she had been with?

Off in the distance, she heard footsteps approaching. Looking about frantically, Ryatsi found nothing to hide behind. Instead, she turned and ran as hard as she could. The footsteps increased in volume, meaning that whoever was following her was getting closer. Ryatsi glanced back and saw the shadow of someone. The person was Human, and she recognized the Imperial-style hat.

"Thank goodness," she muttered before calling out. "Who's there?"

An Imperial officer turned the corner. Ryatsi immediately recognized him. "Jifo!"

Jifo looked horrible. His normally very dark-skinned face was yellowish green. His eyes looked sunken, though alert. He immediately stumbled towards her.

"I—_we_ need your help," he said.

"What? Were you injured?"

"No," Jifo shook his head. "It's Koby. He's been shot."

Ryatsi immediately searched the corridor for the medical pack she had been carrying. Though it took her a couple of minutes, she managed to find it. "Where is Koby?"

"In Little One's quarters," Jifo replied.

"Little One…" Ryatsi cursed. "Where's Little One?"

Suddenly, Vader appeared around the corner. He looked at her solemnly. He had blood all over him.

"W-what happened to _you_?" Ryatsi blurted out.

"There's no time to explain," Jifo said breathlessly. "Please, Ryatsi, we have to get to Kobayashi."

Ryatsi nodded and Jifo led her back to Little One's quarters. Darth Vader, however, didn't follow.

Immediately catching sight of Koby, Ryatsi dropped down beside him and got to work. "I see you did a quick field dressing,"

Jifo nodded. "Yes. Just take care of him, okay? I have to go."

"Right,"

* * *

When Jifo returned to the corridor where Vader had stayed, he found him collapsed on the ground, staring at the wall with dead eyes.

"Little One, snap out of it!" Jifo said, shaking him slightly.

Vader didn't react.

Growling in frustration, Jifo stood up and activated his comlink. "Ensign Hu to Lieutenant Sanus,"

"Jifo, is that you? Force am I glad to hear your voice,"

"Numel, what's going on? You were part of the security team dispatched to handle the boarding party."

"We _did_ handle the boarding party… at least the main bulk of it. Apparently they split up."

"I know," Jifo replied. "I found their corpses with a very angry Lo."

"_What?"_

"Just tell me the status of the boarding party. Are they all gone?"

"So far security seems to think so."

"Good," Jifo muttered. "I'll talk to you later."

"Hey, wait, how are the others?"

Jifo paused before saying, "Mormi's dead. Kobayashi is badly injured. I don't know about the others."

Numel cursed harshly over the other end.

"I'll talk to you later," Jifo said again before cutting the connection and contacting Kerrick. "Lieutenant Commander Chelcu, are you there? This is Ensign Hu,"

"Jifo, where in the blazes are you? You're supposed to be at your post!"

"I know, but I had to find Lo,"

"He's with Kobayashi!"

"No, sir, he's not. Kobayashi is wounded. Little One got away from him and decided to take out the Rebels on his own. He's with me right now."

"Well get him and get up here, we need help!"

"Yes, sir,"

Jifo clipped his comlink back onto his belt and knelt down by Vader. "Come on, Little One, we have to go to the bridge."

Jifo only received a blank stare.

Sighing, Jifo literally hauled the boy to his feet and guided him to the turbolift which then took them to Deck 12. They reached the bridge just in time to be thrown into the depression by the catwalk when turbolaser fire hit the _Executor_.

"Get to your post!" Captain Mentzer ordered.

"Sir, what about Lo?" Jifo asked.

"I'll take care of him, just go!" Mentzer shouted back.

Jifo immediately left Vader and went to his console. He began to sift through the targets. Apparently in the time he had been gone, once the power returned, they had managed to take out two capital ships. The Rebels were retreating.

"Aim for the flagship," Mentzer said.

"Yes, sir!" Jifo and the other gunners responded.

* * *

Obi-Wan did his best not to pant for air. He was in an enclosed space with the luggage in order to avoid detection on whatever shuttle he had boarded. From what he heard, the shuttle was going to a planet called Nihoma.

Nihoma was an Outer Rim planet that was extremely loyal to the Empire. Obi-Wan knew very little of its culture or population since he had never been there before. He did know that he probably wouldn't be getting off there in a while, though. He needed to lie low after attracting the attention of an Imperial legion of stormtroopers and then being spotted, even if for an instant, by the emperor himself.

* * *

Ryatsi sighed in relief as she leaned against the wall beside Kobayashi. At least he had finally stabilized.

Grabbing her comlink, Ryatsi put in the frequency for Jifo. "Ensign Hu, are you there?"

"I'm—a—little—busy," Jifo responded in a tight voice.

"Just tell me the status of the battle," Ryatsi said quickly.

"Rebels—retreating—got—to—go—now,"

Jifo cut the connection. Blowing out a breath, Ryatsi muttered, "At least they're retreating,"

Kobayashi moaned faintly and Ryatsi's attention immediately returned to him. "Koby, how are you feeling?"

Kobayashi's eyes fluttered open and he looked at Ryatsi. From his expression, he seemed to be able to focus rather well, which was a good sign. "I feel like… like I j-just got run over by—by a… bantha…"

Ryatsi laughed. "Thank your lucky stars that you're still alive, Koby. If it weren't for Jifo giving you a field dressing, you would be dead right now."

"R-remind… me to thank—thank him…"

Ryatsi put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I will. Now get some rest."

"W-where's Vader?"

"I believe he's with Jifo right now,"

"Is he… alright?"

"For the most part," Ryatsi said, looking away.

* * *

Ton Mentzer wiped the sweat off his brow as he was informed that the Rebel fleet—or at least what was left of it—had escaped. Death Squadron had been so devastated in the battle that Ton didn't even bother trying to follow the fleet.

Beside him, Vader sat on the floor, slouched. Ton had originally thought that he would get in the way, but he had been unnervingly subdued since arriving on the bridge. In fact, Ton wasn't even sure if he was conscious.

After he received word that the Rebels were no longer a threat, Ton knelt down by Vader to check up on him. "Lo…?"

Darth Vader was unconscious and feverish. Immediately, Ton called for a doctor. Doctor Tunbaoth arrived first, and immediately, Lieutenant Commander Chelcu and Ensign Hu were assisting her in taking Lord Vader to the medical wing.

After they had left, Ton approached Commander Chupa-Pau. "I want a damage report."

Commander Chupa-Pau gave Ton a look that wasn't very promising. "We lost the _Stalker _and the _Accuser_, sir. No one aboard survived. The _Avenger_ is badly damaged. Everyone else sustained minimal damage."

Ton studied the situation for a moment before saying, "Get repairs done as quickly as possible, commander. We have to get out of here."

Commander Chupa-Pau gave Ton a quizzical look that the captain decided not to answer. His reasoning for fleeing the system was rather simple. The emperor had to know about this… but not from Death Squadron directly… and Death Squadron would _not_ be anywhere near Dantooine when it was investigated.

The entire purpose of Death Squadron was to locate the Rebels and eliminate them. Its side purpose was to instill fear in those who might join the Alliance and to enforce order. However, Ton had a sinking suspicion that if he personally informed the emperor of this, he wouldn't live to see another day.

* * *

**Review!**


	15. A Time to Heal

**Christmas Eve! Yippee!**

* * *

It had been two days since the battle at Dantooine. In that time, more and more casualty reports had come in. Among the casualties were Mormi Leeel and Zan Dryker. Zhymmia had been mildly injured. Kobayashi was just beginning to recover from his blaster wound. Besides being a bit light-headed, Ooke was in perfect health. Numel had a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing else. Everyone else was well enough…

Except for Vader.

Ryatsi wasn't quite sure what to do with him. He had been lying in a semi-comatose state in the medical wing since they had carried him off the bridge. He was feverish and was delirious, but she couldn't find a physical cause. He had received no injuries; all the blood that had been on him belonged to the Rebels he killed.

Ooke, who had been in there repairing the damaged machinery, approached Ryatsi. "How's Koby?'

"He's improving, slowly but surely," Ryatsi said with a strained smile; she hadn't slept since the battle. The lack of doctors and medical droids didn't allow for sleep.

"What about Zhymmia?"

"Zhymmia will be able to leave the medical wing by tomorrow morning," Ryatsi answered.

Ooke paused before asking, "And, uh, what about Vader?"

Ryatsi's smile vanished. "I haven't seen much of a change. I don't understand what's bothering him; whatever it is, it isn't physical."

Ooke looked in Vader's direction before sighing and returning to his work. Ryatsi did similar.

The next day, Zhymmia was allowed to leave. She bade Kobayashi, Ooke, and Ryatsi good-bye before leaving.

"How are you feeling this morning, Koby?" Ryatsi asked him as she approached his bed.

"Feeling better," Kobayashi said earnestly.

"Good," Ryatsi nodded and checked his wound. "If you get plenty of rest, I'd say you'll be out of here in about a week."

"Sounds great to me," Kobayashi laughed before wincing. "Ow,"

"Stop laughing like an idiotic farmer, Koby," Ryatsi sighed. "You're only going to irritate your wound."

"Sorry," Koby said sheepishly.

Sighing, Ryatsi walked over to Vader's bed. He was still unconscious and occasionally twitched.

"Doctor," someone said as they entered, bringing in another patient. Ryatsi gave Vader one last glance before running over to help.

* * *

Zhymmia didn't understand what could be wrong with Vader. Doctor Ryatsi said nothing was wrong with him, physically speaking. It had to be something emotional… but it must be pretty substantially serious to be affecting him in such away. Perhaps medical hands weren't required, but helpful ones instead.

She proposed this idea to Ryatsi the next day, and Ryatsi agreed, discharging Vader and allowing Zhymmia to take him to his quarters. Moeema and Kerrick accompanied Zhymmia as they took Vader—who was still unconscious on a stretcher—to his room.

"How are you going to talk to him if he's in that state?" Kerrick asked Zhymmia.

She only shrugged in response. "I have no idea… but it's worth a try."

Moeema nodded. "I agree. I'll help you, Zhymmia."

When they arrived, Kerrick helped the two women situate Vader and then left. Moeema and Zhymmia sat down beside the cot. Zhymmia looked around the room at the blaster marks on the walls. She then examined the now semi-functional (formally completely unhinged) door. "Maybe this isn't the best place for him to be…"

Moeema laughed. "I agree with you there, but we have nowhere else to take him."

Zhymmia nodded and then the two women looked at Vader once again. They remained there for two hours before the boy finally began to stir.

"Hey, Little One," Moeema greeted him.

His eyes studied her briefly before rolling over to look at Zhymmia. They were feverish and clouded.

"Little One, you have to tell us what's wrong." Zhymmia said to him.

Vader immediately looked away.

Moeema helped him to sit up before putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Little One, tell us. It's all right. Believe me; you'll feel a lot better after getting it off your chest. You can trust us, Lo."

Vader looked at them before shaking his head and looking down at the floor.

"Please, let us help," Zhymmia insisted.

"We want to help you," Moeema agreed.

Vader remained silent for what seemed an eternity. Then, finally, he asked, "How's Kobayashi?"

"He's getting better every day," Moeema informed him. "He's going to be fine, Little One."

"What about Mormi and Zan?"

"How did you…?" Zhymmia was about to ask when Moeema shook her head.

"I believe you already know what happened to them," Moeema answered knowingly.

"And I couldn't stop it," Vader muttered.

"What—you—are you saying their deaths are _your_ fault?" Zhymmia blurted out, completely taken aback.

Her words immediately brought a reaction from Vader, who shot to his feet. "Yes, they _are_ my fault! I wasn't strong enough to stop them, I couldn't see it coming!"

"Lo, you can't possibly stop everyone from dying or getting hurt," Moeema told him.

"Yes, I can!" Vader insisted. "I have to!"

"What do you mean you have to?"

Vader shook his head before collapsing on the cot once more. "I have to… I can't lose anyone else…"

Zhymmia and Moeema exchanged meaningful looks before Zhymmia said, "Little One, no matter what happens, you have to accept that sometimes things are out of your control. Once you accept that, you'll be able to see that no matter what happens we'll always be there to get you back on your feet."

Vader's eyes slowly drifted towards Zhymmia before they began silently pleading with her. It was almost as if he were asking if she really meant what she said. Zhymmia answered silently by nodding with conviction.

Finally, the barriers crumbled. Vader immediately reached out to Moeema, who embraced him. Zhymmia soon joined the hug.

* * *

"No more headaches?"

Padmé laughed. "No,"

Her mother and father looked at her lovingly before hugging her. "We're just so happy you're alive."

"I'm surprised I'm alive," Padmé replied honestly. "I didn't think I would make it after…"

She trailed off, not really wanting to bring up the subject. Her parents knowingly didn't push the issue. Instead, they changed the subject.

"So, according to the doctors, you should be able to leave the med center in three weeks' time," her mother said.

Padmé smiled. "Yes, so I've heard. I'm very happy to know that, I can't wait to get out of here."

"What are you going to do once you get out?" her father asked.

Padmé looked at them and then looked down at her clasped hands in front of her. "I really don't know. I know I have to find a way to get back to the senate."

"No, Padmé," her parents both objected strongly.

"You can't go back there, you almost died because of the issues with the senate," Sola argued.

"I _must_ go back there," Padmé insisted. "I can't sit around and do nothing; it will make me worse than the senators who actually support the Empire."

"Padmé, please," her father practically begged. "Don't go back to the senate."

"I'm sorry," Padmé looked at them with fierce determination. "I have to."

* * *

Death Squadron was improving bit by bit. The _Stalker_ and the _Accuser_ have been salvaged for spare parts since there was no way of fixing the ships. The _Avenger_ was almost in running condition once again. The rest of the fleet was ready for the jump to hyperspace. Death Squadron would be leaving Dantooine by tomorrow at noon.

Kobayashi was just glad that the issues with Vader had finally been settled. It had been three days since Vader was discharged—a week since the battle. Just a few hours earlier, Darth Vader had come in to check on Kobayashi and Ryatsi.

Ryatsi approached Kobayashi for the hourly checkup. "How are you feeling?"

"I'd be feeling even better if I could just get out of here," Kobayashi complained.

"Don't worry, you'll be out soon enough," Ryatsi replied. "I think you will be able to leave by tomorrow, actually, right when the fleet departs this blasted system."

"Thank the Force for _that_," Kobayashi responded, sighing.

The next day, Vader came to visit. Kobayashi smiled and greeted him happily. "Hey, Little One! You won't believe this; I'm going to be free in about two hours!"

Vader's spirits rose immensely. "Really?"

"Yep," Kobayashi nodded. "I can't wait to get out of here."

"I can't wait for you to get out of here, too," Vader agreed. "I _hate_ this place,"

"I can tell," Kobayashi laughed. "You get tense every time you come here."

The two sat in comfortable silence for the remaining two hours when Kobayashi and Vader both leapt with joy upon hearing that Kobayashi was discharged. The two immediately ran out of the medical wing and towards the lounge to see if any of the others were there.

Kerrick and Moeema were lounging about on the couches while Numel and Zhymmia were playing dejarik. The fleet had just entered hyperspace, so everyone was still a little on edge.

"Where are the others?" Kobayashi asked upon approaching the group.

Everyone immediately leapt to their feet and embraced Kobayashi before helping him to sit on the couch. Vader silently but comfortably sat down on one of the plushier chairs.

"Well, let me see," Kerrick sighed, thinking for a moment before answering Kobayashi's query. "Ooke is obviously running wild in the engineering section making sure the sputtering hyperdrive stays alive long enough to get us to our destination. Shiine is on his way here, because after all, there isn't much the head of a detention center can do right now. Marrax is on the bridge right now with Jifo, as well as Rowan. Carh'la, I believe, is heading here right now."

"Well, that accounts for everyone, I guess," Kobayashi muttered and everyone was silent for a moment.

Suddenly, Zhymmia stood up from her chair, irritated, while Numel laughed.

"You jerk!" she yelled.

"Oh, come on, sweetheart, I was only joking," Numel replied through his snorts of laughter.

"Numel, you're not flirting with her now, are you?" Kerrick sighed. "Sorry, Zhymmia, I forgot to warn you about that. Numel was known on the _Stalker_ as a notorious flirt."

Numel stopped laughing for a moment to honor those that had died on the _Stalker_. Then, the door to the lounge opened to reveal Shiine and Carh'la.

"Hey," they both said.

"Hello, guys," Kobayashi greeted.

Carh'la and Shiine immediately ran over to him and asked if he was alright. Kobayashi quickly said he was fine and everyone settled down.

Zhymmia stormed over to a chair beside Vader and brooded while Vader watched everyone curiously. Kerrick and Carh'la asked Numel to a game of sabacc, to which he readily agreed. Moeema then began to play dejarik with Kobayashi while Shiine watched the sabacc game. Vader eventually fell asleep while Zhymmia walked over to join Shiine.

A few hours later, Ooke entered the lounge alongside Jifo and Marrax. The three also watched the fifth sabacc game which now also had Kobayashi and Moeema participating. Vader finally awoke and joined the audience, watching the game curiously.

"What's that?" he finally asked.

"It's called sabacc," Marrax explained.

While Marrax began describing the rules of the game, Jifo looked nervously in Vader's direction. He could see that Vader had improved vastly since the aftermath of the battle, but he was still uneasy around him. After all, Vader had brutally killed—in self-defense, but brutally nonetheless—the Rebel boarding party. What was even more unnerving was how unaffected he seemed. While Vader was quieter than normal, his bouncy curiosity could be seen bubbling to the surface once again. The only difference between the current scene and one in the lounge just before the battle at Dantooine was that Mormi and Zan weren't there.

Suddenly, Carh'la shouted in triumph while everyone else moaned in misery. By the sixth sabacc game, Kobayashi had lost twenty Imperial credits, Kerrick had gotten fifteen credits, and Carh'la had won thirty-seven credits. Moeema, who had been playing safe, only lost five credits.

After the game, Jifo and Kobayashi began talking to each other on the couch. Moeema and Carh'la were having some sort of debate with Kerrick and Marrax while Zhymmia approached Shiine, Numel, Ooke, and Vader.

"So…" she started. "Um, any idea where we're going, anyway?"

Ooke shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, Zhymmia."

"Ah, but _I_ know where we're going," Numel said with a smirk. "Why don't you ask me, Zhymmia?"

"That's _Ensign Kenzee_ to you, you pervert," Zhymmia snapped.

Vader remained silent, watching the exchange with mild curiosity.

"You still haven't asked," Numel reminded her.

"Well don't hold your breath," Zhymmia retorted. "Because I'm _not_ going to ask,"

"Where _are_ we going?" Vader asked.

"Well, since you asked me, I'll tell you," Numel replied. "I heard from the commanders that we're going to another Outer Rim planet. It's called Nihoma."

Kobayashi immediately stopped talking to Jifo and looked at Numel. "What? We're going _where_?"

"Nihoma," Numel responded. "From what I heard, the captain says the place is perfectly safe, unlike here. He says it's a good place for us to stop and get a breath of fresh air and get some more supplies."

"What—but—how long will it take for us to get there?" Kobayashi stammered.

Numel shrugged.

"It's about a week from here," Vader said.

Everyone regarded the boy, who merely shrugged. "What? Rowan gave me some star charts a week ago…"

The room heaved a collective sigh before resuming whatever they had been doing, though Kobayashi still was extremely nervous.

* * *

**Review! Tomorrow's the last day of the marathon!**


	16. The Ferionic Nebula

**I hope everyone had a merry Christmas! I was intending on posting this Christmas Day, but I was a little busy. I hope everyone enjoyed the marathon. Here's the next chapter!**

* * *

Palpatine sat meditating in the flagship of the fleet provided for him at Outpost 37752. There had been reports of Death Squadron leaving before sending a single Star Destroyer back in search of something… or someone. What had happened after that is unknown, and all contact with the fleet was lost. This was getting very curious, indeed.

What was even more curious was Vader's Force signature. Just two weeks ago, right before the fleet stopped at the outpost, Lord Vader's signature was normal. Once they stopped at the outpost, however, it grew muddled and murky. Soon after, Palpatine sensed another Force presence, a vaguely familiar one, nearby. Then Vader's signature grew ruthless and animalistic with rage, which lasted a few hours before suddenly vanishing entirely. Now Palpatine sensed nothing of either signature.

The more he thought this over, the more connected it seemed. However, the actual connection was missing, and Palpatine was rather irritated that it hadn't been found yet. If all contact had been lost with Death Squadron, then the worst possible scenario was that whatever caused the fleet to vanish would affect other fleets and areas as well.

Then there was the interesting problem as to what Palpatine had sensed when he first arrived at the outpost. For a moment he could have sworn he sensed a Jedi on the outpost and then as fast as he had detected it, it was gone. Palpatine was no fool, though; he had the entire outpost undergoing a thorough search for anything or anybody conspicuous.

* * *

Nihoma was certainly an interesting place. Physically speaking, it was a beautiful planet with many different climates. The capital sat in a valley, snuggled between two mountains. The area around it was thickly forested and was to be kept that way.

The population was also pleasant. The people seemed cheerful enough and were very trusting, an odd trait for such a loyal planet. The only thing that reminded Obi-Wan of the Imperial presence was the occasional officer he would see wandering about the streets.

Apparently there had to be some sort of outpost near the city, but Obi-Wan hadn't detected anything yet. Still, he was just there to lay low, not to cause trouble. He needed to avoid all confrontations possible.

Still… he had to find that individual. After all, that was his entire reasoning for leaving Tatooine and leaving Luke. Obi-Wan prayed that Luke would be alright while he was gone. The five-year-old was rather feisty on his own; he showed Anakin's habit of being a little too curious for his own welfare and getting himself into trouble on numerous occasions.

_No_, Obi-Wan told himself. Ever since he had left Tatooine, Anakin began haunting him again. He thought he had finally gotten rid of that problem. He had finally found peace within himself, but now… now it was if it had just happened.

Sighing, Obi-Wan walked back to the inn where he was temporarily residing. He entered his room and sat on the floor, closing his eyes to calm himself and meditate.

* * *

Padmé smiled as she breathed in the fresh air. She had finally gotten the chance to step out of the med center and go home with her family. It had been a week and a half since she awoke from her coma. Although the doctors seemed a little hesitant to discharge her, Padmé promised that she would rest and insisted upon leaving.

Now she was finally going home with her family. Ryoo, Pooja, and Sola's husband, Darred, were waiting at the house, along with a large feast from what Padmé had heard. The idea sounded refreshing, though dark thoughts about what had transpired were clouding her mind as she walked to the speeder that would take her home.

The Galactic Empire had taken a rather strong hold on the galaxy over the past five years. There were Imperial fleets patrolling practically every system, and the most feared of all was Death Squadron, which was led by… Darth Vader.

Padmé shuddered as she thought about Vader. She had asked and had been allowed to see a holo of what he had become and it terrified and repulsed her at the same time. The very thought that Anakin had died and been replaced by that monster was enough to tear her heart to shreds. He had committed so many atrocities. When Padmé asked where Death Squadron had been most recently, Sola answered that there had been reports of it patrolling in the Raiobello Sector.

When Padmé thought about the Raiobello Sector, the first thing that came to mind was Anx Space. The xenophobic Empire could have sent Death Squadron there to cause all sorts of problems for those people. Either that, or they were there to cause problems on the trade route, Myto's Arrow.

Padmé's thoughts were interrupted when she caught sight of her home. Smiling, she climbed off and walked alongside Sola, following her parents inside.

* * *

It had been three days since they began their journey to Nihoma, and the entire time, everyone had been too busy to tutor Vader. So, he found his own ways of keeping himself preoccupied.

Shiine and Zhymmia hadn't had much to do in their sector besides oversee their subordinates… until Vader found out he didn't have any classes. Shiine found himself stopping Vader from wandering into the detention areas, particularly when Commander Sypikne was brooding. Zhymmia even had to have stormtroopers escort Vader out when she caught him about to mess with some interrogation equipment.

When Vader wasn't bothering the detention center, he wandered into the war room where all of the _Executor_'s tactical information was. This would get Rowan and Captain Mentzer a bit nervous and the two were forced to keep a guard of some sort in the area to make sure the boy didn't tamper with any information.

Carh'la and Kerrick, who oversaw the tactical divisions, also had to keep Vader out of the way, for he somehow always managed to find his way into the auto turret system. One time, out of sheer boredom, the boy activated the auto turrets on stun just to watch Commander Sypikne go hopping and dancing out of the room, flailing his arms and screaming like a mynock.

To top off the ridiculousness of the situation, Numel was constantly found in the dreariest corners of the ship so as to avoid his commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Sypikne, who was in charge of security.

Some of the group was fortunate, however. Jifo, who supervised a small surveillance crew on the bridge, rarely had to worry about Vader interfering. Kobayashi, Marrax, and Moeema were also others who did not experience many problems with Vader. Ryatsi, for certain, received no problems from the boy.

Ooke was the only one who could handle the boy. Since Ooke enjoyed Vader's company and technical brilliance, most of the time the two would be in the engineering division for hours on end.

So now, three days into the trip to Nihoma, it was mid-afternoon when the _Executor_ bucked abruptly, sending all of its occupants flying to the ground.

Moaning in exasperation, Ton Mentzer squeezed his comlink irritably before activating it. "Engineering, what is going on down there?"

"Sir, something—clogged—the—couplings," Commander Katsure, Chief Engineer, replied between coughs. "It's—not the—boy,"

"Where is Lord Vader?" Ton asked.

"Down here, sir," Commander Katsure coughed harshly before continuing. "He was with Lieutenant Tunrott."

"Are there any casualties down there, commander?"

"A few bumps and bruises, but—nothing serious,"

Ton paused for a moment before saying, "Why did the couplings get clogged? You said in your report this morning that everything was running smoothly."

"Sir, it—it can't be a malfunction, we just had those couplings inspected last night!" the commander said. "Something must have gotten caught in there from outside, it's the only explanation."

"What could get—"

Ton's comlink beeped once again and he told the commander to fix whatever the issue was. He then switched frequencies. "This is Captain Mentzer. What is it?"

"Sir, this is Lieutenant Commander Norhek; we've got a small problem,"

Ton restrained a sigh. "Don't tell me; we found the Rebels once again."

"No, sir," Lieutenant Commander Norhek replied with a hint of amusement in her tone. "It's not quite _that_ drastic. However, it'll be enough to throw us off schedule, I'm afraid."

"What is it?"

"Well, sir, my navigation division just found a discrepancy in the repairs the engineers did. Apparently they didn't fix the navicomputer, sir, and as a result, it led us right into the Ferionic Nebula."

"The Ferionic Nebula?" Ton repeated. "That's impossible; we should have passed that nebula at least two days ago!"

"Sir, with the hyperdrive as damaged as it is, it's quite possible that we've been on the edge of losing lightspeed altogether."

"And with us being stuck in the nebula, there's no way we can go into hyperspace," Ton cursed. "Get all the bridge officers to the meeting room."

"Yes, sir,"

* * *

"Jar Jar?" Padmé nearly exclaimed. "They made _Jar Jar_ the next senator after my supposed death?"

Sola nodded. "Yes. I must admit that he has done a relatively good job keeping us out of trouble, but that is all."

Padmé sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Jar Jar's not known for his subtlety, but I trust him to keep us safe for now. However, my decision to join the senate once more still stands."

"But how are you going to do that?" Darred asked. "The entire galaxy thinks you're dead."

"I'm not going back as Senator Amidala," Padmé laughed. "I'm going back as an aide and advisor to Senator Binks."

"But—but you'll be right on the Imperial Center," her father protested. "People could recognize you there."

"The only people who would recognize me would be friends," Padmé responded. "And I only know of two or three truly close friends who would know me… if they're still alive."

Padmé paused before asking, "Now what about my children? I understand that you couldn't tell me in the med center, but we're at home now."

Darred left the room so they could discuss it in private. After all, he himself didn't know where the twins had been hidden. The moment he left, Sola said, "Luke and Leia are well protected, Padmé. Luke is with your late husband's family while Leia is with one of your colleagues from the senate."

Padmé took note of Sola's terminology for her "late" husband, but brushed it to the back of her mind. "But Anakin has no family. His mother died."

"Supposedly he has a brother," her mother said. "That's what we were told, at least."

"Of course," Padmé suddenly remembered. "Owen Lars was Anakin's stepbrother… but what about Cliegg Lars?"

"We don't know of any Cliegg, I'm afraid," her mother replied, shaking her head. "Just an Owen and Beru Lars,"

"_Beru_ Lars? They're married now?"

"Yes,"

Padmé paused once again before continuing. "What about Leia?"

"Leia is with Senator Organa," her father answered.

"Bail is taking care of her?" Padmé raised her eyebrows. "Well, at least she's in good hands... for now."

"What are you planning to do?" Sola asked. "Make the senator's daughter mysteriously disappear without a trace?"

"Well what do you expect me to do, just _leave_ my children where they are without a father or mother?"

"They have people taking care of them, Padmé," her mother said soothingly. "We will find a way to get them back, but don't be hasty. You must remember that they are five years old now. They are quite content with their situation."

Padmé's instincts were telling her that was _not_ the case, but her logical side told her to calm down and listen to her family. They had a point. She couldn't go rushing off without thinking.

Sighing, Sola asked, "How are you going to get to the Imperial Center? What will your name be?"

"My name will be Cordé Tarix." Padmé said.

* * *

"So what you're saying is that we're going to be _stuck_ in here for a _week_ _at least_?" Kerrick clarified with Commander Katsure in the meeting room.

The commander nodded. "Unfortunately so, I'm afraid."

"Sir, don't we have a schedule to keep?" Kerrick asked. "I thought we had to be at Nihoma within a week!"

"Just a quick question before we go on," Rowan interrupted before facing Mentzer. "Captain, I know this is awfully late to be asking, but who is going to replace the admiral?"

Rowan's question was due to the admiral's death during the battle. Mentzer sighed. "Technically speaking, commander, we already have someone who is _above_ an admiral… however, if we let him call the shots, I dare say we'll be spending our time taking him from the zoo to the museum to anything humanly possible."

Some snorts of laughter went around the room while others merely looked slightly panicked. "He's not _actually_ in charge, is he?"

"Of course not," Captain Mentzer replied. "He is obviously unfit for duty, so I am taking responsibility of the fleet for now."

"Now, what's the problem with the hyperdrive, Katsure?" Rowan returned his attention to Commander Katsure.

"We haven't had enough time to repair it properly," the commander responded. "It can run but not very well, and with this nebula we don't have a chance of getting out of here through hyperspace. My estimate still stands; we will be in here for a week at least."

"What about the rest of the fleet?" Captain Mentzer directed his attention towards the holographic images of the captains from the rest of the fleet.

"Captain, perhaps you can bring miracle boy over here," the captain of the _Avenger_, Captain Piett, said. "We can use some work on our thrusters. There's no way we're going to get through this nebula without those."

Captain Mentzer looked thoughtful for a minute before nodding. "Very well… we will send the boy to the _Avenger_. Are there any other issues with your ships?"

Most of the captains spoke of little problems that could be repaired during their slow trek through the nebula. The meeting then ended and Captain Mentzer turned to face Kerrick.

"Get Lord Vader to hangar bay twelve," Mentzer told him. "He's going to the _Avenger_ to assist in repairs… that way he will have something to do and we won't have to worry about him causing trouble. However, send one of his companions otherwise the _Avenger_ will be in an even worse state than before."

Kerrick hid a smile and bowed in salute. "Yes, sir,"

* * *

Lo lied in the ventilation shaft staring at the dull grey walls around him. The shaft was small, enough to make anyone else claustrophobic, but the boy was thin enough to fit. He somehow also got the feeling that he had been in more confining spaces than this. Besides, he felt horrible.

He had been hiding in the vents for two hours ever since he was soundly kicked out of Shiine's detention center. He had only gone to visit Shiine and Zhymmia but then he saw Ress and then he saw the machinery, and… oh, well.

The reason why he had gone to see Shiine and Zhymmia was because he was feeling awful. He had already been plagued with nightmares about what had happened a week ago, but now he was beginning to grow feverish and his stomach felt as if it were being wrung. To make matters worse, his head was pounding.

He had gone to the vents because after leaving the detention center, the symptoms grew worse. He didn't want people to bother him while he felt this way, so he decided that hiding in the shaft would be best. He was already feeling better anyway.

Suddenly, he heard his name being used. Shifting so he could lay on his stomach once more, Lo crawled through the shaft to the closest grate before punching it open and peeking out into the corridor.

"Little One, where are you?" he heard Kerrick calling out.

Lo immediately squeezed through the small space allowed and landed in the corridor. He was covered in grime and smelled like a musty ventilation shaft, but he shrugged it off, heading towards the turbolift to go to Deck 4 where he heard Kerrick.

Once he arrived, Kerrick approached him and gave him an odd look. "Why do you look so dirty?"

"I was in the vents," Little One said matter-of-factly.

"What—why were you in there?"

"Because I wanted to be alone,"

Kerrick scrutinized him further before shaking his head. "I was calling you because you're going on a little trip."

Lo's worries vanished in an instant, all the pain completely forgotten. "Where am I going?"

"You're going over to another ship of this fleet,"

"Am I going to the _Tyrant_?"

"No, you're—"

"Am I going to the _Devastator_?"

"No, Little One—"

"Well, how about the _Adjudicator_?"

"No—"

"The _Firewind?_ The _Vengeance I_? The _Vengeance II_?"

"N—"

"Oh, wait! I'm going on the_ Aggressor_!"

Exasperated, Kerrick threw his hands in the air to stop the boy. "_No_, Little One, you're going to the _Avenger_!"

All the boy did was laugh as if he had already known the real answer. Kerrick sighed and waited for him to stop, which he eventually did.

"So why am I going to the _Avenger_?"

"You're going to the _Avenger_ because they need your wonderful mechanical prowess," Kerrick smiled. "Come on; the shuttle's leaving in ten minutes."

"Wow!" Vader bounced in the air before grabbing Kerrick by the hand and dragging him to the turbolift, automatically punching for Deck 8 without even asking where they were going.

The turbolift came to a stop and Kerrick was pulled to hangar bay twelve.

"I'm not going to even ask how you knew where to go," Kerrick panted before pointing to the shuttlecraft they would be boarding.

"Aren't you coming with me?" Vader asked even though Kerrick had never said anything to the contrary.

"No, Lo, I've got work to do here," Kerrick responded. "Marrax and Ress will be accompanying you,"

Vader looked at the shuttle for a moment before looking at Kerrick once again. He watched him for a few seconds and then pulled him into a tight hug. Kerrick, shocked, merely returned it with a pat on the back before the boy released him and ran to the shuttle, waving excitedly before boarding.

* * *

"You seem a little nervous, sir,"

Captain Piett glanced over at his subordinate, Commander Skidder. "Just keep silent unless spoken to when Lord Vader arrives."

"Sir, from what I've heard, he's not very picky about your appearance anymore—"

"We're still going to treat him properly," Piett cut him off.

Commander Skidder bowed his head. "Of course, sir,"

The shuttlecraft entered the hangar bay and landed. Its landing ramp hissed and then lowered to the ground. An ensign and a stormtrooper disembarked, followed by a lieutenant.

"Where is Lord Vader?" Captain Piett asked the three.

"Who?" the lieutenant asked.

"Eh, _Little One_ is right here," the ensign quickly said. "However, we can't say where Lord Vader is."

Piett immediately cursed himself for his slip. Apparently Lord Vader was dressed in the lieutenant's uniform.

"Well, uh, Little One, this is Commander Skidder, the chief engineer of the _Avenger_," Captain Piett said to the boy. "You'll be working with him."

"Okay," Darth Vader nodded, walking over to Commander Skidder. "So let's go."

* * *

**Please review!**


	17. Super Force Droid!

**I've got a poll on my profile asking about your favorite Imperial. Please vote! :-)**

* * *

Padmé sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She had styled her hair simply, putting it all in a bun. Her outfit consisted of a plain pale blue dress covered by a royal blue robe. The large hood was pulled over her head, shadowing her face. She looked just like any other Naboo handmaiden.

Sola had been talking with Jar Jar, who was rather obliging. As Sola had put it, he was more than happy to have any handmaiden with Sola's recommendation. Padmé had smiled, knowing that the Gungan was unaware it was actually her.

Ryoo and Pooja were playing outside as Padmé and Sola exited the house and walked towards the speeder waiting for them. Their father sat in the pilot seat while their mother sat beside him. Sola and Padmé settled in behind their parents while Darred watched the girls in the backyard.

The speeder was on its way toward Theed when Sola turned to Padmé. "Are—are you _positive_ about this?"

Padmé nodded. "Yes, Sola,"

"I still don't like this," her father said, shaking his head slightly. "Padmé, even in your disguise, are you _sure_ no one will recognize you, not even Senator Binks?"

"I have gone into disguise numerous times, Dad," Padmé sighed and explained for the fifth time. "Not once has anyone ever recognized me,"

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. Two hours later, they finally arrived at the spaceport. Padmé disembarked and gave her family hugs and kisses before turning towards a ship that was guarded by Naboo royal guards. Jar Jar stood at the landing ramp, waiting silently with his typical grin on his face.

"Here we go," Padmé muttered as she walked towards the Gungan senator.

* * *

Palpatine had told the admiral that he was not to be disturbed. He was meditating in order to calm himself, and in order to find his missing apprentice.

It had been four days since his arrival at Outpost 37752. In that time, they had discovered no significant leads on Death Squadron. The fleet was scheduled to patrol the Raioballo Sector, but no other Imperial outposts, garrisons, or bases had received any indication that the squadron entered the sector.

Through the Force there was also no indication as to the fleet's location. Vader's Force signature vanished the instant his rage had died.

Sighing, Palpatine contemplated the situation. The only option left was to enter the Raioballo Sector and investigate it personally, which was a definite possibility. He did not normally dirty himself and waste his time doing such menial tasks, but this was far too important to leave to foolish Imperial officers.

* * *

"I've lost track of what ship we're on," Marrax laughed.

Ress chuckled as well. "It seems everyone is in need of Little One's services, sir,"

"Yes, indeed," Marrax sighed. "By the way, how did get separated from the rest of the 501st? I mean, they're Vader's Fist, but they normally don't travel with Death Squadron too often. They've got their own fleet and everything."

"I requested the transfer, sir," Ress responded. "I couldn't bear to be there anymore. It brought back too many memories of the Clone Wars."

"Where you lost so many of your brothers?" Marrax supposed.

Ress nodded. "Yes, I did lose many of my brothers in that war."

Marrax watched the clone for a short while. He got the impression that Ress wasn't telling him the entire truth about his reasons for transferring, but that was his own private business anyway; Marrax needn't pester him about it. Instead, he changed the subject to Lord Vader once again.

"All right, so Lo should be finished in the engineering division by now, right?" he asked Ress.

"Yes, sir," Ress nodded again. "If he isn't the chief engineer will contact us in five minutes,"

Suddenly, Marrax's comlink chimed. "This is Ensign Mothezsh."

"Sir, Lieutenant Lo has gone missing!" a frantic voice said.

"What?" Marrax shot to his feet, as well as Ress. "What do you mean he's gone missing? How long has he been missing?"

"At least half an hour, sir," the voice answered. "He was supposed to be working with Lieutenant Gent, but when the latter arrived on the area that needed repair it was already fixed and the lieutenant was gone!"

"When was that?"

"Twenty minutes ago, sir. Lieutenant Lo was assigned to repair the system ten minutes before that,"

"Does the chief engineer know about this?"

"Yes, sir, he told me to inform you. The captain is already aware of the situation as well."

"What action has been taken to find him?"

"Security is searching for him, sir, but the captain requests your presence in the briefing room,"

"I'm on my way," Marrax said before cutting the connection and motioning for Ress to follow.

The two ran to the briefing room and immediately saw the chief engineer, Commander Klivian, and the captain of the _Devastator_, the ship on which they were currently staying.

The captain, Captain Sato, asked, "Is there any specific way in finding Lord Vader?"

Marrax and Ress exchanged glances before saying, "Your guess is as good as ours, sir. The boy is impossible to find."

* * *

Ton was about ready to beat his head into a wall. The entire fleet was in chaos. Between Lord Vader vanishing, Ensign Mothezsh and Ress being clueless as to how to find him, this blasted mouse droid beeping to get his attention, all the repairs that had to be done to fix the ships, the nebula they were stuck in, the loss of so many Imperials including the _admiral_, this blasted mouse droid now spinning in circles to get his attention, the issue with the emperor finding out about Vader, him being in charge of the entire fleet, and this blasted mouse droid now _banging into his ankles_ to get his attention, _he was going insane_!!

Finally, Ton growled and glared at the mouse droid and it backed away, beeping and squeaking timidly.

"What—do—you—want—you—piece—of—scrap?" Ton snarled.

The mouse droid was still for a moment before beeping softly and extending an arm that held a data card. Ton snatched the card and the mouse droid fled.

"Blasted droid," he muttered as he activated the card in a data pad. That same stupid mouse droid had been pestering him for days on end. He had heard from Commander Chupa-Pau that it was bothering quite a few Imperials.

His comlink chimed as he looked over a status report. Answering it, he said, "This is Captain Mentzer and you'd better have a bloody good reason for contacting me."

"Hi Captain!" a playful voice said.

Ton nearly dropped the comlink. "L-Lo! Where are you?"

"I'm on the _Vengeance II_ right now,"

"What? How did you—what are you—why—but—_what are you doing there_?"

"I fixed everything so I decided to help over here,"

"Report to the nearest shuttlecraft and tell them that on my orders you are to return to the _Executor_,"

"What? But I—"

"_Now_, Little One," Ton growled.

There was silence before he heard, "Grumpy…"

And then the boy cut the connection.

* * *

Lo was bored. He had already repaired the impulse engines on the _Avenger_, fixed a problem with the coolant system on the _Devastator_, and snuck on a shuttle going to the _Vengeance II_ just for fun. Now he had nothing to do because he was once again stuck on the _Executor_, locked in his room until they reached Nihoma due to his unscheduled visit to the _Vengeance II_.

As he sat on his cot, he heard a soft sad beeping go by his door. Walking to the door, he saw a wire that activated and deactivated the lock in his mind's eye. He immediately cocked his head to the side and the lock clicked open. He then opened his door and peeked outside to see a mouse droid slowly going down the corridor.

The mouse droid seemed to call out to him. Something about it reminded him of the others. It was almost as if Kobayashi or Kerrick were standing there rather than the droid. Slowly, almost as if he were in a trance, Lo walked towards the droid and picked it up before returning to his room and closing the door.

Little One sat down and looked at the droid carefully, tracing his fingers over the casing. He was practically mesmerized for some reason. It almost felt like the others were there with him right now… that was _weird_.

Suddenly, the mouse droid beeped sadly once again and Lo immediately snapped out of his daze. "What's wrong, little guy?"

The droid beeped and tweeted, still sounding sad. Little One immediately felt sorry for it. "Captain Mentzer was mean to you? He yelled at you? That's not very nice of him."

The droid agreed.

"So what's your name?"

The droid beeped again.

"You don't have a name?"

The droid twittered in the negative.

"Oh… well can I give you a name?"

The droid beeped in the affirmative.

"Okay…" Lo trailed away, thinking about what to name the poor little droid. "How about… _Luke_?"

The droid excitedly agreed. Lo laughed. "Okay, your name is Luke. So… do you have any data pads that I could use?"

Luke beeped in the affirmative and extended an arm, showing three vacant data pads. Lo smiled deviously and took all three, immediately tinkering with them.

"You wait and see, Luke," he said as he worked. "We'll get them back for being mean to us."

Luke asked how.

"Just wait and see. I'll do my part and you do yours and everything will work perfectly."

* * *

"What are you looking so smug about, Koby?" Jifo asked as the two sat in the lounge.

"I sent a mouse droid to Darth Vader's room. I told it that if he left it alone, it was to return to me in here." Kobayashi replied.

"Okay, so it's not here," Jifo shrugged. "Is that supposed to be a good sign?"

"It's a _perfect_ sign," Kobayashi smiled. "It means that Vader likes it."

"What are you babbling about?"

"What your sister-in-law said," Kobayashi explained. "About the Super Force Teddy thing?"

"You—you didn't actually make a teddy bear with a Force Imprint did you?" Jifo stuttered.

Kobayashi laughed. "No! But I did give him a Force Imprint… it was the _droid_. I sent it after everyone for this entire time in the nebula."

"Wait—that's the droid that kept ramming into my ankles while I was at my post yesterday?"

"Yep,"

Jifo gawked at his friend. "I don't know if I should hit you now or later."

"Hey, I was doing it to help!"

"That thing was bloody annoying!"

Suddenly the door to the lounge opened to reveal the very mouse droid in question. It rolled in and bumped against Kobayashi, beeping loudly and quickly as if it were excited.

Kobayashi took the data pad that it held out to him and activated the screen. On it was an order from Captain Mentzer.

"That's odd," Kobayashi commented as he read the order. "Apparently Captain Mentzer wants me to order a change of coordinates to the navigation team."

"That's what it says?" Jifo asked.

Koby nodded. "Yep; I'd better get to the bridge."

Kobayashi exited the lounge, turning left and walking towards the turbolift. After entering the dull grey lift, he pressed the button for Deck 12.

He wondered why the captain wanted a change of coordinates, but he didn't bother asking as he entered the bridge. Instead, he walked straight towards the small depression that held men working at their posts. In the left depression towards the rear sat Kobayashi's navigation team.

"I've got a change of coordinates for you," Kobayashi said to the ensign overseeing the men. "Plot in a course for the fleet; the grid coordinates are O-17."

"Yes, sir," the ensign acknowledged and ordered the change of coordinates.

Kobayashi left the bridge and returned to the lounge on Deck 10, settling down on the couch once more.

Jifo, who had almost fallen asleep waiting for his friend, jumped awake and asked, "So did you follow with the captain's orders?"

"Of course I did," Kobayashi leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. "I just wonder why he wanted us to change directions."

"It's not really going to matter as long as we're in this nebula anyway," Jifo responded.

Kobayashi shrugged. "I guess so,"

* * *

Ton sat in the tactical room on Deck 11. The room was rather spacious, with a large, circular holographic projector sitting in the center. Information consoles bordered three of the four walls and navigation charts speckled the area surrounding the holographic projector.

As he looked about the room, he sighed contently and closed his eyes. He couldn't wait to get to Nihoma; at least he could take a breath of fresh air from all the insanity of what had been happening. Only in Death Squadron could one get grey hairs within a matter of weeks.

"Captain Mentzer," Commander Chupa-Pau said as he entered the room. "Why did you change the coordinates?"

"What?" Ton's eyes popped open. "I didn't order a change in coordinates! Where are we going?"

"The new course is taking us to Naboo, sir,"

"_Naboo?"_

"I presume you did not order that, sir,"

"No! Get us back on course!"

"Yes, sir,"

The commander bowed in acknowledgement and left the room, leaving Ton standing and irritated. Who in the _blazes_ changed it…?

Ton immediately contacted the ensign who had been supervising the navigation crew. Upon asking who ordered for a change of coordinates, the ensign replied that Lieutenant Beillane had authorized it under Ton's orders.

He called Lieutenant Beillane to the tactical room.

"You summoned for me, sir?" the lieutenant said as he entered.

"Why did you change the coordinates, lieutenant?" Ton demanded.

"I—but sir, a droid came with a data pad that held an order from you!" Lieutenant Beillane stuttered, taken aback.

"What—I didn't send a droid with _anything_!"

"But then who…?"

Both officers paused before growling, _"Little One,"

* * *

_

Lo laughed as Luke beeped excitedly, telling him of everything that happened. Apparently Captain Mentzer was rather annoyed and Kobayashi was livid. Thankfully, Lo's door was locked so when Kobayashi came banging to his quarters, Lo innocently replied that he couldn't open the door.

Luke now informed him that with that extra delay, they would be arriving at Nihoma in a week and a half. The whole idea was just too funny.

Lo giggled some more before sighing and leaning against the wall. At least that little joke had kept the headache and stomachache at bay for a while.

* * *

**Review!  
**


	18. Nihoma

Jar Jar was just as clumsy as ever, though he seemed to have matured quite a bit. He wasn't as… childish was the nicest term she could say. Just as she had suspected, however, he didn't recognize her.

From what she had gathered on the trip to Coruscant (which was now called the Imperial Center), Emperor Palpatine had left the planet for an unknown reason. Darth Vader was nowhere near the core, so she didn't have to worry about that… though what she would do when he returned was completely beyond her. What if he recognized her? Despite her confident portrayal to her family, she was very afraid of Vader discovering her identity. After all, she could never hide herself from her own husband.

_No_, she told herself. _Ani is dead._ No matter how many times she repeated that, though, she just couldn't get herself to believe it. How could she be this irrational? It was _obvious_ that he wasn't the same wonderful person who was so full of life and love.

It had been three days since her arrival on Imperial Center, and she had already helped Jar Jar avoid some major mishaps with other senators and Imperial Inquisitors. However, she had noticed that he had learned some subtlety. She didn't realize that her supposed death would affect him in such a way.

They were now in the senate building, discussing some issues with getting supplies to a backwater planet with a mainly non-Human population, thus garnering no help from the Empire. Padmé suddenly froze in mid-sentence when she heard the voice of her closest friend in the senate: Bail Organa.

"Senator Organa," Jar Jar said with a smile. "Let mesa introduce yousa to my new aide, Cordé Tarix."

Bail nodded to acknowledge her when he suddenly paused, eyes narrowing before widening in shock. He stood flabbergasted for a moment before continuing with his nod and saying, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Cordé,"

"The pleasure is all mine, Senator Organa," Padmé replied with a bow. "How is your daughter?"

"She is in good health," Bail quickly replied. "She is quite feisty, I might add, but she has a tender heart. Actually, she looks almost exactly like you."

Padmé held the tears back as she smiled and nodded her head. "I'm very glad to hear it, senator."

Their conversation came to an abrupt end when a thin and pale woman with straight black hair gathered to the crown of her head approached them. She wore a yellow gown with long wide sleeves and designs of red flowers on them. Over the yellow gown was a sleeveless red silk dress that layered the on the lower half of her body. The dress flowed gracefully down to the floor. This was Senator Miko Demora, the senator from Nihoma.

They all exchanged bows of respect and courtesy before the senator smiled and held out two data cards to Jar Jar and Bail.

"On my home planet of Nihoma, we are celebrating a festival called Mmoma Ie," Senator Demora explained. "It is to celebrate our unification under one rule. We would be honored if you would join us in Noriyuki City in two weeks' time to celebrate with us."

As she was talking, Padmé and Bail exchanged wary glances. Senator Demora herself didn't seem to be a horrible woman, but her planet was highly loyal to the Empire. Going to Nihoma for any reason could be risky. However, her next statement caught their attention:

"Other distinguished senators such as you are also going to be attending: Senator Mothma, Senator Bel Iblis—"

She continued listing other senators, some of which were loyalists who had been part of the Delegation of Two Thousand that had failed so miserably just prior to the Republic's fall. Perhaps this party would be worth attending, after all.

When she finished talking, Bail immediately bowed. "I would be more than happy to attend, Senator Demora."

Jar Jar looked at Bail and then Padmé. Padmé was suddenly thankful that the Gungan had learned the powers of observation, for he also agreed and bowed, though in his own somewhat clumsy and informal manner.

This would certainly be interesting.

* * *

Palpatine's fleet had been investigating Death Squadron's last known location for almost two weeks now with no success whatsoever. It was actually starting to become a little disconcerting.

As Palpatine meditated upon this, he received a transmission from the bridge. The hologram flickered to life to reveal the admiral who had been leading the fleet.

"Admiral Pescer, what is the status of the search in this system?" Palpatine asked half-heartedly since his mind was still on his meditation.

"We actually have found something of consequence, Your Highness," the admiral said in an earnest tone. "Our long range sensors have picked up debris. From what we can see, it's Alliance and Imperials alike. We suspect that there must have been a large battle that happened recently."

"Where has this debris been found?"

"Around Dantooine, sir,"

"Interesting," Palpatine muttered to himself before ordering the admiral to take the fleet to Dantooine to investigate further.

* * *

Lo was so excited! He had been feeling horrible the entire trip to Nihoma, but now he was actually going to see the planet! He couldn't remember seeing anything except for the ships he had been living on, so this was just too exciting to ignore. He pushed his pains aside and made sure no one noticed; if they did he wouldn't be allowed to go and he couldn't have _that_ happen!

Luke had been hanging out in Lo's room since he had nothing to do. Apparently the others just avoided him for fear of getting bruised ankles. Lo liked his company; it made him feel like the others were around for some reason, so it kept him calm and content. However, even Luke's presence wasn't going to keep him still this time. He couldn't wait to see Nihoma!

A small beep emitted from his door, and he knew immediately that it was the others. He opened the door and they all entered, sitting down and facing him fully.

"Now Lo, you have to listen to us about this," Kerrick said. "No finding loopholes and no exceptions,"

"Okay," Lo said quickly.

"We're going to let you go down to Nihoma with us since we're taking leave there," Moeema explained. "However, you are to stay near us at all times. If anyone ever asks what your name is, just say Lo. If they ask for your rank, say you're a lieutenant, okay? Never wander away from the group, Lo, no matter what you see. Are we clear?"

Lo nodded excitedly. "Can we go now?"

Jifo shook his head. "Not yet. We still have one more hour to go before we arrive. In that hour, you need to clean yourself and get ready to go. We'll meet you in—"

"Hangar bay 8, I got it!" Lo said happily as he stood up. "I'll see you guys in an hour!"

They all smiled and nodded, leaving the room.

* * *

"Well that didn't go horribly," Jifo commented. "At least he agreed to stay with us,"

"Yeah," Moeema laughed. "All younglings say whatever you want them to say and then do their own thing. We have to keep a close eye on him when we land. Where's Koby, anyway? He was supposed to be here as well."

Jifo shrugged. "He said he was too busy on the bridge. In fact, he said he couldn't join us on Nihoma because of his duties."

"Are you serious?" Zhymmia asked, surprised. "I thought he would welcome the break. From what I've heard, whenever people get shore leave Kobayashi takes them all out for socializing."

Jifo nodded. "Yeah, that's how I got to know him. We had liberty on Corulag when I first arrived and he took me to all the great restaurants and bars and everything. I had a blast."

"He's been acting so curiously lately," Kerrick sighed. "I don't know what's gotten into him."

"Well, there is one thing I _do_ know," Shiine noted.

"What's that?"

"Little One's not going to let him stay on that bridge."

Everyone laughed and agreed before preparing to disembark the _Executor_.

* * *

_Just one more door…_

Lo panted as he ran his legs off to get to the hangar bay. He wanted to get there as fast as possible, so sometimes he pushed even harder and it almost seemed as if he flew by the people in the hallway, who would then shout out in surprise.

As he reached the door that led to the hangar, he suddenly came to a screeching halt. Wait a minute…

Closing his eyes, he reached out to feel who was in there: Captain Grumpy, Commander Jerk, Lieutenant Commander Jerkette, Ress, Kerrick, Zhymmia, Carh'la, Rowan, Ooke, Marrax, Katsure, Wefaskan, Ran, Naren, Quan, Moeema, Dev, Zekk, Tej, Faelgrom, Kirana, Wen, Frevik, Numel, Shiine, Jifo, Freja, and Salth. However, he did _not_ feel Kobayashi. Where was Koby?

Keeping his eyes closed, Lo called out for Koby. He felt him on the bridge. What was he doing there of all places?

Immediately disregarding every rule he had been told about staying off the bridge, Little One ran to the turbolift and punched for Deck 12. The instant he arrived, he went straight to Kobayashi and, without a word, dragged him back to the hangar.

"What—are—what?" Koby stuttered, breathless.

"Hey, Koby!" Jifo shouted, waving. "I didn't think you were coming!"

"I—I'm _not_," Kobayashi replied…

Or at least he was about to reply before Little One shouted, "Of course he's coming!"

"What? I'm not going, Lo!" Kobayashi protested.

"Why not?"

"Because—because I have duties to attend to,"

"Like what?"

"Like—like overseeing ensigns and others,"

"Can't they oversee themselves?"

"No, I—I have to stay here,"

"No you don't,"

"Little One, I'm not going!"

Lo looked at him sadly. "But… I thought we were all going…"

"Well… w-well I—I…" Kobayashi stammered, looking at Lo before finally sighing.

Little One didn't understand why Koby didn't want to go. Was it something he said? Did he do something wrong? Why didn't he want to be with him?

Kobayashi sighed again and shook his head, saying, "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

Lo's spirits blasted through the roof and he excitedly grabbed Kobayashi's arm and ran as fast as he could toward the others, paying no attention to Koby's yell of panic.

"All right, everyone's here," Rowan said. "Since there are so many of us, we're going to divide onto three different ships with ten on each ship. Shuttlecraft _Vindicator_ will carry Captain Mentzer, Commander Katsure, Lieutenant Commander Tade, Lieutenant Niedra, Lieutenant Reukli, First Lieutenant Zarbo, Second Lieutenant Vang, Ensign Mothezsh, Ensign Goodner, and Ensign Flast. Shuttlecraft _Retribution_ will carry me, Lieutenant Commander Chelcu, Lieutenant Sanus, Lieutenant Beillane, Lieutenant Lo, First Lieutenant Serr, Ensign Kenzee, Trooper RE-793, Trooper TK-421, and Trooper TK-875. Shuttlecraft _Extinguisher_ will carry Lieutenant Commander Norhek, Lieutenant Tunrott, Lieutenant Vrei, Second Lieutenant Sonter, Ensign Hu, Ensign Tavik, Ensign Corman, Ensign Noko, Trooper QB-792, and Trooper JD-288."

Lo began to walk towards the _Retribution_ where his group was beginning to board. Kobayashi walked alongside him. The people he would be traveling with all knew him well. Rowan, Kerrick, Numel, Koby, and Zhymmia were the ones he was closest to. Ress (RE-793, though Lo hated calling him that) was the next most well-known. Then came First Lieutenant Dev Serr, a kind man with broad shoulders, a stout build, and a pleasant personality, and TK-421, whose name was Faelgrom Doneta, a tall blonde-haired blue-eyed man with a strict demeanor. The other trooper, TK-875 was Frevik Orana, a thin man with little to no pride, though he had a compassionate heart.

After boarding the _Retribution_, they walked back to the crew compartment. The crew area was a box that held six seats on the port and six on the starboard. The seats faced each other.

Lo sat on the starboard side between Kobayashi and Numel. Kobayashi was awfully silent as the pilots did preflight checks, so Lo talked to Numel instead.

"What's Nihoma like, Numel? Is it pretty?" he asked.

Numel laughed. "From what I've heard, Little One, it's beautiful… as well as its women!"

"Why are you always talking about women?"

"What—how could you _not_ want to talk about women? You know, they provide everything a man needs in life—love, hugs, kisses—"

Numel paused before asking, "Hey, hey, have you ever kissed before?"

"What's a kiss?"

"Force, you're deprived! Don't you worry, Little One, I, Numel Sanus, am going to set you up on a date!" Numel laughed.

Bewildered, Lo turned to Kobayashi. "Numel talks about the weirdest things,"

"Yeah…" Koby muttered.

"What's wrong, Koby?"

"I…" Kobayashi shook his head and looked Lo in the eye. "Little One, when we land on Nihoma, you have to call me Romi Bha, okay? I—just call me that."

"Okay…" Lo said awkwardly. "Why are you so tense?"

"Nothing's wrong," Kobayashi quickly replied, wringing his hands nervously.

He could tell that something was _definitely_ wrong, but the moment the shuttle's engines roared to life, all his worries vanished and were quickly replaced with a flood of enthusiasm.

The other occupants were all chattering amongst themselves as everyone waited to set foot on Nihoma. They would be landing in the capital, Noriyuki City. From what Lo had read about it, it was considered one of the most beautiful sites in its sector.

Five minutes later, the ship shuddered as the landing gear touched the ground. They had arrived.

Lo immediately leapt to his feet only for Kerrick and most of the others to grab a hold of him.

"Don't forget, Lo, that you have to stay close to us," Kerrick reminded him.

"I know, I know!" Lo said quickly. "Come on, let's go!"

Kerrick giggled and released Little One, who immediately ran to the ramp and bounced on his heels while waiting for it to lower. The moment it did, he rushed down and paused, taking in the first view he saw.

The spaceport the _Retribution_ had landed in was made out of transparent weather-proof bubbles. Immediately, Lo could see through the diamond-shaped patterns and caught his first glimpse of Noriyuki City.

From what he could see, the view was breathtaking. Tall steel-colored rectangular skyscrapers tore into the skyline. The skyscrapers had royal blue curved roofs sticking out in numerous places making it look like more than one building was stacked on top of each other. However, the skyscrapers didn't populate the center of the city. Apparently something lower did, but Lo couldn't see it from where he was. Around the skyscrapers were shorter buildings with similar architecture. There wasn't too much sky traffic; most of the population went about by foot. The entire city was snuggled in a valley with monstrous but cozy mountains surrounding it on three sides.

The third shuttlecraft, the _Extinguisher_, landed shortly after Lo's shuttle arrived. The passengers disembarked, some whooping for joy while others stood in awe and more merely smiled contently and moved on. The three shuttles powered down and the pilots climbed out to join the rest of the group.

Immediately the groups separated into smaller segments which included people who knew each other well and wanted to explore the city together. Others, like the captain himself, went on their own to explore.

"It's so beautiful here," Lo said as his friends gathered around and led him outside the spaceport.

"Yes, it is," Moeema agreed.

"Koby, I don't see how you could not like it here," Jifo said to Kobayashi, who immediately stiffened upon hearing his name.

"Just call me Romi Bha here, okay?" he muttered under his breath, though loud enough so they could hear.

"Romi Bha?" everyone repeated, just as confused as Lo had been originally.

As soon as they had exited the dome that held their shuttle, they entered into another dome where hundreds of people were milling about. It was the terminal area where people roamed to prepare for their flights or where they gathered their luggage and left. Wait… luggage?

"Oops," Lo mumbled. It wasn't like he had anything to pack, anyway…

He felt even worse when he saw his friends grabbing duffle bags and hoisting them over their shoulders. Marrax approached Lo.

"Where's your bag, Little One?" he asked.

"I… I didn't know I would need one." Little One shrugged before worriedly asking, "You're not going to send me back up there, are you?"

"Of course not," Marrax laughed and put a reassuring hand no Lo's shoulder. "You can just share with us."

Lo excitedly thanked Marrax with a large hug before bouncing into the air happily. The rest of the group caught up and after a quick explanation from Marrax, heaved a collective sigh or chuckle before walking out of the spaceport.

Waiting for them were JG-8 luxury landspeeders lined one in front of the other. They were all different colors with designs on them. They were open cockpit and passenger, and seated two passengers. Moeema was paired with Lo and the two headed towards a black speeder with designs of tan, purple, and green leaves. The seats were made of comfortable tan leather that conformed to the person who sat on it.

Little One sat beside Moeema and leaned back, looking around and enjoying the pleasurable breeze that played with his face. He had never felt a breeze like this before; it felt so good! He loved this planet!

The luxury speeders in front had already been filled and were firing their engines. The speeder Lo and Moeema were in maneuvered around the others and went ahead. They were on their way to Noriyuki City.

* * *

Moeema sighed contently as she sat down beside Vader. She had never been to Nihoma before, so this would be a very enjoyable shore leave. However, Kobayashi's odd behavior was concerning her.

Her thoughts of Kobayashi were blown out of her mind by the wind and Vader's sudden affection. He leaned against her shoulder and she giggled, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and allowing him to snuggle as they waited to arrive in Noriyuki.

"Are you excited?" she asked him.

Vader nodded with a wide smile, giggling.

Moeema had to admit that she had never imagined she would ever hear Lord Vader giggle. However, it was a carefree sound, so loving and bubbly that it was contagious and she had to laugh with him.

"How long are we going to stay here, Moeema?" Vader asked, snuggling deeper into the crook of her neck and closing his eyes contently.

"Let me think…" Moeema looked at the scenery for a moment before saying, "I believe we're going to be here for two weeks, Little One."

Vader let out a whoop of joy and hugged Moeema, who laughed and returned the hug before they both resumed their previous positions. Eventually, Vader's excitement was too much for him to handle sitting still and he pulled away from Moeema and began looking around at the scenery.

The area between the spaceport and the capital was completely forested. The only thing that showed it was a well-flown path was that the path didn't have any trees blocking the way.

Occasionally, Vader would point and say he saw an animal and then would get excited and start describing it in detail before asking Moeema what it was. Most of the time she would let out a laugh and answer him and then she would tell him what they ate and how they lived. For twenty minutes they played this game, until they finally reached the border of Noriyuki City.

"Wow!" Vader said in awe as they hopped off the speeder.

The rest of the group caught up with Moeema and Vader. Kobayashi looked more nervous than ever.

"Does anybody know a good place to eat?" Ooke asked. "I'm starving!"

"I hear this place has the most beautiful women in the Outer Rim!" Numel laughed at the same time. "Let's go find some!"

"I want to see their museums," Kerrick said with interest. "I hear they have some fascinating things there."

"As long as I get to eat, I don't really care," Zhymmia said, nodding to Ooke.

"Well, let me see…" Rowan pulled a small holoprojector from his pouch and activated it. A map of Noriyuki immediately appeared.

Rowan pointed towards a red blip on the holographic map. The red blip indicated where they were standing. As he pointed to it, the map automatically focused in on the area. Points of interest appeared in yellow with small informative bits of information appearing over them.

"Um…" Jifo pointed to an area that was east of them. "How about here? This place is a nice-looking restaurant."

Rowan accessed the restaurant and the map faded away before rematerializing as an image of the restaurant. Information slid across on the right of the image.

"Looks like a decent price range to me," Carh'la nodded. "I say we should go eat there."

"But what about the women?" Numel asked.

The group heaved a collective sigh before Zhymmia smacked Numel over the head. Vader laughed with the others and then pointed to a street to the right. "The restaurant's over there, so let's go!"

"All right, Little One," Moeema chuckled.

As they walked down the street, Zhymmia pointed to a building. "Hey, look! Isn't that the theatre off in the distance?"

Rowan checked the map again and then nodded. "I believe so. Perhaps we should get tickets to see one of their shows? I hear they have some amazing performances there."

When they finally reached their destination, Vader immediately ran towards the restaurant and went inside. Sighing in exasperation, Moeema quickly followed him.

The doors leading inside were made of metal though they had a wooden exterior. They slid open and Moeema heard the sound of wooden wind chimes clanking against each other. Vader looked around the restaurant excitedly.

"This place is so wizard!" he said.

A woman approached them and bowed respectfully. She wore her straight black hair layered and tied together at the crown of her head. Decorative golden sticks were placed in the bun and had pink ribbons hanging to them. She wore a Nihoman-styled dress. The dress was baby blue and made of cotton. The collar folded left over right. It was rather straight, not fanning out or clinging to the woman's body. She had it tucked slightly at her waist where a large light brown obi was tied over it. The sleeves went to her wrists and the width trailed down to her knees at the very end. The length of the dress reached her ankles. All over the dress were large pink blossoms. At the very bottom of the dress was a deep royal blue. The woman wore no shoes, but only plain white socks.

"Welcome to the Hisashi," she said with a smile. "How many will be dining?"

"Twelve," Moeema answered.

The woman bowed again. "Right this way,"

Everyone else entered just as she began to walk away. Numel didn't even notice the scenery in the room; he just watched the woman. Moeema found herself rolling her eyes in exasperation before hearing Zhymmia bonk the man over the head once again, garnering a snort of laughter from Kerrick and Carh'la.

The restaurant had wooden floors and walls. Besides the lounge area, though, which had comfortable couches attached to the wall where one could get a view of outside, Moeema didn't see any tables. Instead, she saw a hallway with numerous sliding doors on each side. The woman led them down the hall to the fourth door on the right. She slid the door open and bowed, waiting for them to enter.

The room, also having wood floors and walls, had a long wooden table that was low to the ground. There were six plates on each side of the table. Instead of chairs, since the table was so short, there were large wooden rectangular frames with dark blue cushions inside the framing. Attached to the wooden rectangles were another set of frames with cushions to be used as a backing. On the wall opposite of the door was a window, providing natural lighting and an excellent view of the bustling street. A lighting fixture hovered overhead.

Everyone sat down on the cushions, which were surprisingly comfortable. The woman then handed them menus and bowed before exiting, sliding the door closed behind her.

"This is nice!" Jifo said with satisfaction. "Unfortunately I'm not familiar with any of these dishes that these menus mention."

Carh'la laughed. "Then I suppose we'll just have to sample the cuisine and go from there."

Moeema sat on one side between Kobayashi and Rowan. Kobayashi was on the far left of the table, so after Rowan sat Zhymmia, Jifo, and Marrax. On the other side of the table were Carh'la, Numel, Vader, Ooke, Shiine, and Kerrick.

Kobayashi leaned over to Moeema and pointed to one of the meals on her menu. "If you don't like anything spicy, don't get that one."

"Do you know about these foods, K—"

Kobayashi shot her a look and she quickly said, "Uh, I mean, _Romi_?"

"Yes, I do," Koby nodded.

"So I presume you've been here before,"

Again, Koby nodded. "Yep,"

"Then help me choose what to eat,"

Kobayashi laughed, getting some of his cheerfulness back. "All right,"

* * *

He wondered what the entire bustle was about. Cleaning droids were tearing down the hallways and making sure everything was spotless. He could hear employees talking excitedly and nervously. Eventually, his restlessness got the best of him and he stopped worrying about whatever the problem was. Instead, he walked outside of the inn and wandered down the street.

The people who normally walked through were all dressed in typical Nihoman clothing. The women would wear different styles of the Nihoman dress and men would wander about wearing eepudah (a basic Nihoman dress) and then wearing large baggy trousers over the eepudah.

He tensed when he saw Imperials and hoped his new outfit would help him blend in to the environment. Most people who lived on Nihoma had straight black hair, small eyes, and pale skin, but there was still a substantial population that did not. Hopefully this would allow Obi-Wan to get away with wearing a tan eepudah under a brown kuze (Nihoman trousers that go down to the ankle). It actually reminded him of his Jedi robes.

The Imperials were talking loudly and laughing. A commander accessed a holomap and talked to the others, asking where they wanted to go. A young dark-skinned woman with curly brown hair and blue eyes pointed to the center of the city. However, a lieutenant who looked rather like the natives loudly protested against her decision. They all seemed innocent enough.

In the middle of the group was a young man. His back was turned to Obi-Wan, so he couldn't get a good look at him. Something about the boy nagged him, but if he were to stop and examine it further, the Imperials would get suspicious. He would just have to worry about it later, for it was bothering him too much to be entirely ignored.

Obi-Wan sighed and walked on to the downtown area of the city.

* * *

"All right, where should we go next?" Rowan asked the group, bringing the hologram of the map back to life.

"I say we should go here," Zhymmia said as she pointed to the center of the city. "The royal palace,"

"No!" Kobayashi quickly said. "W-we don't have to go there just yet. Why don't we, uh, go watch the parade?"

"What parade?" Lo asked, getting curious.

"Well there's a parade held every year around this time…" Kobayashi explained. "It's to celebrate when all the separate clans of Nihoma stopped warring and joined together under one rule. It's called Mmoma Ie, or Unification Day."

"That sounds like fun!" Lo clapped his hands together before suddenly pausing. Was someone he knew nearby? He could have sworn he felt something…

Looking around, Little One turned about and almost recognized someone before Zhymmia said, "I still say we should go to the royal palace. I haven't heard anything about a parade yet."

"All right, we'll go to the palace first," Kerrick smiled to Zhymmia.

Kobayashi looked like he was about to faint. Lo looked at him a little worriedly and then said, "I want to see the parade,"

"Today _is_ Gamoa 20th, right?" Kobayashi asked.

"Yes,"

"Then there's definitely going to be a parade," Kobayashi nodded. "They do it the day before and the day of the holiday."

"But Kerrick said we're going to see the palace," Lo pointed out.

"What are you talking about? Forget what he said, we're going to see that parade or my name isn't Romi Bha!"

"…But it isn't." Little One reminded him.

Kobayashi suddenly jumped and said, "Shh!"

* * *

**Review! ;-D The next update should be relatively soon but I'll wait for my reviewers before submitting it.**


	19. The Royal Family

_Ie no alamete!__  
Poki tatsu mmona ieno ielo,  
__Setsu nako!  
Tatsuie niko hala kobiyetsu!_

_Ie no alamete!  
__Mochi nakato hala kobiyetsu,  
Nacha iale!  
Tsuma nota kite mmoka chumiya!_

Kerrick clapped and cheered along with everyone else as they watched the parade go by. Women dressed in the same Nihoman dress called eepudah (which was a more formal version of what the waitress at the restaurant wore, which was called eepudah-ha) were marching down doing a fan dance in synchronization. Their eepudah were plain white with another eepudah underneath that was splashed with every color in the spectrum. They wore their top-layer eepudah one-sleeved in order for the other one to be visible. It made them look very colorful indeed. Just behind them were a large group of men in lines wearing plain black eepudah-no (a man's version of the eepudah-ha) underneath dark brown kuze, or large trousers that men wore. The men had wooden sticks in each hand. Attached to the stick were five bells. The men twirled and flung their arms into the air to make the bells jingle a certain way. Next were young girls dressed in light green silk eepudah. They danced with parasols. After the girls were boys with white plain eepudah-no and baby blue kuze; they clanked two thick wooden dowels together in a certain rhythm. The boys passed and then men in bright red eepudah-no walked by carrying wooden sticks that held lanterns with writing on them.

Eepudah-no were essentially eepudah-ha and eepudah except for a few distinctions. One was that while eepudah-no had sleeves going to one's wrists, its width did not reach ones knees, which the eepudah had. Also unlike the eepudah and the eepudah-ha, the eepudah-no had a thinner obi with no fancy tying on the back (the eepudah-ha had no fancy way of tying the obi, but it did have a _larger_ obi). It tied into a simple knot after layering twice around the person's waist. The eepudah-no also did not tuck in slightly underneath the obi, but flowed straight down to the ankles.

Kerrick asked Kobayashi what the lanterns the men were carrying said. Koby, who apparently seemed to know the language, answered by saying they had the word "unity" written on them.

_Ie no alamete!  
Poki tatsu mmona ieno ielo,  
Setsu nako!  
Tatsuie niko hala kobiyetsu!_

_Ie no alamete!  
Mochi nakato hala kobiyetsu,  
Nacha iale!  
Tsuma nota kite mmoka chumiya!_

The parade was very long. After the men with lanterns passed, more women in baby blue eepudah with pink obis walked by doing a hat dance with small hats that had flowers on them. Next were young girls and boys who were dressed in cream eepudah-no with dark brown kuze. They all had long hair tied back in a nerf tail and wore cream bandanas tied around their heads. They were doing moves of some sort with two long and thick wooden dowels that were tied together by a rope. Then many people came walking two by two. A man would be on the left and a woman on the right. The men wore black eepudah-no with golden obis and red sleeveless vests that fell to their knees. Though the vest looked light, Kerrick could see upon further inspection that it was actually made of scales of some sort. Their hair was down in a braid. The women beside the men also wore black eepudah, gold obis, and red sleeveless vests, except they were silk and not scales. The women also wore their hair down in a braid rather than a bun. Unlike the men, they had headdresses made from the teeth of some sort of animal. The headdresses had a bead between each tooth. They were all strung together by a white string and wrapped around the women's heads once before trailing down on their braids.

The crowds went ecstatic as these pairs walked by. The native spectators began shouting, "Chuuno kika!"

"This is so amazing!" Zhymmia laughed as she watched.

Kerrick nodded. "Yes, it really is. Are you enjoying it, Little One…?"

Kerrick's question faded as he suddenly realized that Vader was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Numel and Vader strolled down the empty streets towards the royal palace as they heard the parade off in the distance.

"See? I told you we would get there a lot faster if we left the parade," Numel said.

"So why is there a royal palace in the middle of the city?" Vader asked.

"Well, from what I've read about this planet they're ruled by the royal family. You've got the king and the queen and then the younglings. I hear they have two sons, but one of the sons was kidnapped or went missing or something. It happened a long time ago."

"Huh," was all Vader said before he asked, "So are they the only ones allowed to rule?"

"Yep,"

"That's why they get the fancy house?"

Numel laughed and nodded. "Yes, Little One, that's why they get the fancy house. Now, as soon as we get a good look at the palace, we can go find some girls and impress them by taking them to the parade."

"But everyone's already at the parade,"

"Not _everyone_, Lo," Numel argued. "I'm sure there are some poor damsels out there just waiting to be taken to the parade…"

Vader raised an eyebrow and then said, "You're weird,"

"I take offense to that," Numel replied before pausing.

The two had arrived at the royal palace, and it was certainly a sight. Large walls stood around the perimeter of the palace. Over the walls Numel could see the Nihoman-styled buildings with the low curved roofs. It looked like a city in itself. There were a series of smaller buildings all around a large main building. All the walls were golden and the roofs were red. Every door leading in or out was black. The golden walls glistened as if they were actually made of gold… wait, they _were_ made of gold!!

"Good Force," Numel muttered.

"It's so pretty," Vader said, sounding awed. "I wonder what it looks like on the inside."

"Who knows," Numel shrugged. "Anyway, now that we've seen it, let's—"

Numel felt a breeze blow by him and saw a figure jumping over the walls and then realized that Vader was gone.

"What—uh—Lo!"

"Numel, there you are!"

Numel turned around and saw the rest of the group running towards him, looking panicked and out of breath.

"What are you doing here?" Rowan barked.

"I—Lo and I wanted to see the royal palace, so—but he—I mean—"

"Where is Little One?" Moeema asked.

"Well—he kind of—I think jumped over the wall…"

"_What?"_

"We—we have to get in there!" Kobayashi shouted. "He could be killed if he's caught!"

"What do you mean he could be killed?" Rowan yelled.

Kobayashi shook his head. "People here show a _lot_ of respect towards the monarchs. If you dishonor them by appearing at their house uninvited it can be punishable by death!"

"But—but he's in an Imperial uniform, surely that will help!" Shiine said.

"Maybe…"

"Let's just _go_!" Kerrick shouted and they all ran inside with Kobayashi yelling for them to stop.

"You guys are all going to get in trouble!" he bellowed.

"We've got to get Little One out of there!" Marrax replied.

* * *

Obi-Wan smiled and enjoyed the parade as the crowds around him went wild. He did enjoy the culture on this planet very much.

_Ie no alamete!  
Poki tatsu mmona ieno ielo,  
Setsu nako!  
Tatsuie niko hala kobiyetsu!_

_Ie no alamete!  
Mochi nakato hala kobiyetsu,  
Nacha iale!  
Tsuma nota kite mmoka chumiya!_

The parade continued to go by. It seemed so long that it would never end. Currently passing him were people going two by two, men on the left and women on the right. With the way they were dressed and the way people treated them and Obi-Wan sensing a warrior's spirit from them, he could guess that they were the soldiers. After the warriors, women with their faces painted red began to walk by. From their cheek bones to their foreheads they had oval shaped areas painted in gold. They wore their hair in a top knot. Their outfits consisted of a red eepudah with large golden flower designs on them and a pitch black obi with a knot behind it that trailed all the way down to their ankles. They had golden hair ornaments that were essentially golden sticks with designs on top of them, such as minute trees or birds. They concealed their hands in their sleeves. Behind these women were men who were dressed similarly. Their hair was done in the same way, and they wore red eepudah-no with thinner black obis. Instead of flowers, though, they had golden dragons on their eepudah-no. The men also had face point, though the styling was a little different. Like the women, they had red face paint mostly dominating, but instead of having golden ovals around their eyes, their eyebrows were painted gold and they had three horizontal parallel gold stripes on their cheeks.

Obi-Wan had no idea who they were, but the crowds evidently liked them, seeing as they were going wild as they passed. Obi-Wan merely smiled and enjoyed the parade from where he stood.

At least until he sensed someone accessing the Force. It was the same person… and he was close. _Very_ close.

* * *

Jifo had expected guards or at least _something_ to try and stop them, but they somehow managed to get to the front door of the palace itself. Kerrick unceremoniously slid the doors open, nearly tripping over himself in his panic. By then the guards started calling out and running towards them. They couldn't stop, though; they _had_ to find Darth Vader!

Jifo could admit that he had never been the most courageous of people (particularly when it concerned Vader _before_ this incident started), but now he knew he could keep running and keep going. He _had_ to keep going. He had to get to Little One before the guards did.

The Imperials entered the hallway, which had ornate gold carpeting. The walls were bright red and golden chandeliers hovered overhead. Occasionally there would be wooden furniture with golden accessories decorating the sides.

Jifo kept his ears attuned to his surroundings. Vader had to be around here somewhere!

Kerrick led the group when he abruptly turned a sharp right into another cavernous hallway claiming that he had heard something. They ran for a short while, hearing the echoing sounds of the guards following close behind. It wouldn't be long before they called the reinforcements and surrounded Jifo and the others.

Although as soon as he saw what was up ahead in that hallway he knew it wouldn't matter.

Up ahead stood a man dressed in a gold eepudah-no with a red obi that had golden decorative designs on it. At the collar Jifo could see a red eepudah-no underneath the golden one, and a black one beneath that. The gold eepudah-no had actual gold sewn into the fabric and was designed like a robe. Half of his hair was done in a top knot while the rest hung down, reaching halfway down his back. He wore a golden band around his forehead with the design of a dragon on it. The dragon's eyes were made of rubies. The man wore a necklace with kasumis—highly prized misty blue jewels found only on Nihoma—between each link. The man wore a ring on each pointer finger, one was a band made completely out of gold while the other was a golden band with a kohaku—an extremely rare red jewel that was often clouded with black impurities.

They had run right into the King of Nihoma. Even worse was that Vader was standing right in front of him without showing any sign of respect.

"Hi," Vader said in a friendly tone. Jifo could feel his legs beginning to give way… he was going to drop dead right there, he just knew it.

The king, however offended he may have been, simply raised a curious eyebrow. "What are you doing in here?"

"Oh, I just wanted to see the palace," Vader replied. "It's so pretty here. Have you lived here your _whole_ life?"

Jifo was very tempted to beat his head against the wall.

"What sort of a question is that?" the king replied, sounding a little surprised. "Of course I've lived here my whole life. Who are you?"

"Um, Lieutenant Lo," Vader answered awkwardly.

Rowan, who had been standing in utter horror along with the rest of the group, stepped forward and bowed deeply. "Forgive us, Your Majesty. The boy is not well."

"I can see that," the king said. "Who are you?"

"Commander Rowan Chupa-Pau, Your Majesty," Rowan replied, still bowing.

Jifo and all the others then bowed and introduced themselves.

"How did you get in here?" the king asked.

"We… we followed the lieutenant, Your Majesty," Rowan responded. "We were fearful of his safety. The boy has a very bad tendency to get himself into trouble."

"I can see that quite clearly," the king nodded before looking around. "But where has that lieutenant gotten off to now?"

Jifo closed his eyes and moaned.

Down the hallway, everyone heard voices echoing. The security guards immediately ran over there and Jifo heard them call out "Your Majesty." Since the king was with them, then the only other "majesty" would be the… _stang_. Kriffing, kriffing stang.

The king led the group as everybody ran to the other hallway. There stood a woman dressed similarly to the king. She wore her hair exactly as he did except she had golden hair ornaments with chains holding precious jewels hanging off them. She had the same exact head band going around her forehead. She also wore a black eepudah, then a red eepudah over it with a golden eepudah finally over that. The large obi was black on the edges and red in the center with a golden dragon going across it. The knot for the obi on the back was done in such a way so part of the obi would trail down her legs and behind her. She wore golden earrings with kasumis dangling on the end, and had a golden choker with a pearl on it. Like her husband, she also had a ring on each pointer finger: a golden band and a golden band with a kohaku sitting on top.

This was the Queen of Nihoma.

She was currently facing Vader, looking a little surprised. Vader was talking to her curiously, asking who she was.

_Now_ Jifo _knew_ he would drop dead.

"Why—I'm the Queen of this planet!" she answered him, sounding shocked.

The king immediately stormed over to Vader, who backed away quickly, looking startled.

_Force no, please no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,_ Jifo though continuously. Things couldn't possibly get any worse if Vader made the power go out.

Thankfully, the queen stepped in for them. "It's alright. Who are you?"

"Lieutenant Lo," Vader replied.

Before anybody could react, Kobayashi rushed forward. "Lo, let's _go_."

Kobayashi got on his knees in front of the king and queen and placed his hands on the ground, making them face each other. He then lowered his torso until his forehead was touching the floor. "Forgive us, Majesties,"

"Kobayashi, why are you bowing to them like that?" Vader asked before gasping and covering his mouth. Kobayashi stiffened.

"What did you say his name was?" the queen demanded.

"I—I'm sorry, I—his name is—Romi—I mean—" Vader stuttered, not knowing what to do.

"What is his name?" the king nearly bellowed at the boy.

Kobayashi shot to his feet. "Don't yell at him!"

The Imperials all gaped. What was Koby _doing_? He was yelling at the monarchs!!

_I'm dead, we're all dead, we're all going to die, we're all crazy, _I'm_ crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy…_ Jifo thought, his mind whirling.

The king and queen were too shocked to say anything until the king motioned to the Imperials and said, "Throw them out!"

The guards immediately moved forward. Nobody expected _Vader_ to react the way he did.

The boy immediately widened his stance and held his hands out, palms open. He watched the guards warily with narrowed eyes. Kobayashi gave him an odd look before jumping to his feet. "No, Little One, _stop_!"

Vader jumped and looked over at Koby before slowly lowering his hands.

"I order you to tell me your full name," the queen said to Koby.

"My… my name is… is… Lieutenant Kobayashi Beillane." Koby said, sounding defeated.

The king and the queen gaped at Koby for what seemed an eternity before the king told the guards to stop. The queen merely walked towards Koby slowly and then hugged him, giving a cry of joy.

As for Jifo and the others, they were all just completely bewildered—_including_ Vader.

"_Huh?"_

The next thing they knew, the _king_ was hugging Kobayashi as well. _What was going on?_

"Oh, Kobayashi," the queen said, tears leaking out of her eyes.

"What in the _bloody blazes_ is going _on_ here?" Jifo said before he could stop himself.

The others were too shocked to correct him.

"This—this is our son, Kobayashi Beillane, Prince of Nihoma," the king said, wrapping an arm around Koby who looked thoroughly miserable.

"_Prince?"_

"Koby, is—is that _true_?" Moeema asked.

Kobayashi muttered a yes.

Vader watched Kobayashi very silently before saying, "We can stay here with Koby, right?"

Kobayashi immediately perked up before his parents could reply. "Yes, of course you can, Lo. Guards, return to your posts."

The guards looked at the king and queen uncertainly before the king dismissed them with a wave of his hand. "Yes, you all _can_ stay here as long as you like."

A young woman wearing a simple red eepudah-ha with blue flowers on it entered the room. Her hair was done up in the traditional Nihoman method. She went down on her knees and bowed to the ground in a similar fashion that Kobayashi had done earlier.

"She will show you to your rooms," the king said, motioning towards the woman.

"But—but what about Koby?" Vader asked.

Kobayashi put a hand on Vader's shoulder. "I'll catch up with you in a little bit, Little One. I promise."

* * *

**Whew, I had fun describing the parade. :-P**

**Here's a translation for the lyrics to the parade song:**

**V. 1:**

**Ie no alamete! Today we celebrate!**

**Poki tatsu mmona ieno ielo, Together we come unified now and forever,**

**Setsu nako! Never divided!**

**Tatsuie niko hala kobiyetsu! Come feast and dance!**

**V. 2:**

**Ie no alamete! Today we celebrate!**

**Mochi nakato hala kobiyetsu, We join hands and dance,**

**Nacha iale! And sing joyfully!**

**Tsuma nota kite mmoka chumiya! Rejoice for we are united!**

**Now! I have a challenge for my readers/reviewers! I'm going to give you a handful of words (mostly from the song) and I challenge you to create a song in the native Nihoman language. You can have some freedom in creating a few new words for the language, but try to use mostly the words posted below. I'll post whatever you send to me through a review and then everyone can vote on it and whoever wins gets their song in the story! Here are the words:**

**Ie: Day  
Ie no: Today  
Alamete: we celebrate  
Poki: Together  
Tatsu: we come  
Mmona: unified  
Ieno: now  
Ielo: later (ieno ielo put together translates to 'now and forever')  
Setsu: divided  
Nako: never  
Tatsuie: you come (informal)  
Niko: feast  
Hala kobiyetsu: dance  
Hala: run  
Mochi: we join  
Nakato: hands  
Nacha: sing  
Iale: joyfully  
Tsuma: rejoice  
Nota: because/for  
Kite: we  
Mmoka: united  
Chumiya: are  
Kika: hail  
Chuuno: warriors**

**Happy composing! Please review!  
**


	20. Unification Day Parade

**Thanks for all of your reviews, everyone, they mean A LOT! Here's a song posted by Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: **

**Ie no alamete mmoka.  
Nako setsu.  
Ieno ielo.**

**Hooray!! :-D Thanks, Master Sman-Esay, I'm so glad somebody posted a little song/poem! If anyone ever wants to still try it, feel free to do so and submit it! ;-D  
**

* * *

Padmé sighed as she looked out the window of the transport. She could see traces of Noriyuki City underneath the morning mist that had settled on the valley. It was early morning of Unification Day. Tonight there would be a ball held at the royal palace where Padmé, Jar Jar, and others would attend.

Nihoma had proved to be more beautiful than Padmé had imagined. She had met people from Nihoma and sent supplies there before, but she had never set foot on the planet itself. It rivaled Naboo and Alderaan in beauty. No wonder so many people wanted to live here.

The shuttle landed in the spaceport just outside the city. Padmé disembarked alongside her Gungan companion and walked outside. She gathered her handmaiden robe around her as a chilly wind blew. It was autumn in this hemisphere of Nihoma, so it would naturally be cold. Besides, valley wind always found a way to chill one to the bone if it blew hard enough.

A JG-8 luxury landspeeder hovered just in front of them. Jar Jar climbed in first and Padmé followed. The trip had been long, so both remained silent during the twenty minute drive.

The landspeeder flew them into the city, taking a large road that was used solely for landspeeders. It took five minutes to reach the palace.

Padmé and Jar Jar climbed out of the speeder and thanked the driver before being escorted inside by a servant. They met with Senator Demora and talked for a short while before being shown to their rooms.

Her room was beautiful. The wooden floors shone in the pale sunlight that the two windows against the back wall had to offer. The cream colored walls held ink paintings with calligraphy of the native tongue written on the side. To the left was a large mirror with an ornate golden casing. A dressing table was underneath it. Directly between the two back windows sat a large bed with wooden framework. The four bedposts were formed as pillars that held a curved wooden roof. The four corners of the roof pointed upward, as well as the center of the roof. The edges of the roof were red, as well as the silk curtains that spilled over. To the right was a large dresser. A desk sat beside it. She found this room to be quite comfortable as well as elaborate.

Padmé walked over to the bed, barely noticing the luggage that had been dropped off for her, and collapsed. She found the pillows exceedingly soft and the bed exceedingly relaxing. Breathing out through her nose, she smiled in contentment and quickly fell asleep.

Two guest houses away from hers, Little One lounged about on his own bed. "Where's Kobayashi?"

"He's not here yet," Lo's roommate, Kerrick, said from the desk.

"What are you doing, Kerrick?"

"I'm writing a letter,"

"Who are you writing the letter to?"

"I'm writing it to my family."

"You… have a family?"

Kerrick paused from his work and looked at Lo. "Of course I have a family, Little One,"

Lo didn't understand. He thought _he_ and the others were Kerrick's family. "But—but who are they?"

"Well, there's my wife, Lynorri, and my four beautiful children: Anjylle, Sei, Kaia, and Nash."

"Right…" Lo paused, looking away.

The sound of Kerrick's laser pen scribbling on the flimsy suddenly stopped. Lo heard the scraping sound of Kerrick's chair moving against the wooden floor. He could feel Kerrick walking towards the bed and then sitting on it.

"Little One, look at me."

Lo couldn't. He just _couldn't_. He thought Kerrick cared… did the others just think of him as a burden, too? Was that all he was?

"Little One, you're not a burden,"

_But… you have a family to worry about. I'm not your family._

There was silence for a moment before Kerrick answered, "Yes, you _are_ my family. You're like a son to me."

Lo's eyes widened. He had never had a father before. Not even… not even… not even what? There was no _before_ the others… that's why they were _family_ to him!

"We all look at you as family, Little One."

Lo finally rolled over on the bed to face Kerrick. He searched his eyes and then felt out with his mind. He could sense the sincerity in Kerrick.

"Do… do you really think of me as family?" he asked slowly, a little scared of the answer.

Kerrick smiled and gathered Lo into a hug. "Yes, I do."

Lo closed his eyes and sank into the embrace, being grateful of it. Suddenly, he heard the others coming and quickly broke away to run to the door. Kerrick sat where he was, blinking stupidly for a few moments before getting off the bed.

"The others are coming!" Lo said excitedly. "Kobayashi's with them!"

Kerrick chuckled. "That's great, Little One."

The door to their room slid open and Kobayashi led the group inside. He was wearing a red eepudah-no with black kuze. He wore a golden cotton coat over his eepudah-no. When Lo looked at his feet, he saw socks that divided the large toe from the others. The shoes Kobayashi wore were made of straw rope and tied around in numerous areas.

"Well if it isn't the prince himself," Kerrick said, putting his hands on his hips. "Should I bow to you?"

"Oh, shut up," Kobayashi snapped.

Everyone else gathered on or around the bed. Little One jumped on the bed between Moeema and Kerrick.

"Now explain," Rowan ordered.

Kobayashi sighed. "Yes, yes, I _am_ the prince of Nihoma. I didn't tell you because I didn't want anyone to know. I… when I was nineteen, which was seven years ago for those of you who don't know, I ran away from this place. I—my older brother, Sano, is the crown prince, so he has more power than I do. I didn't run away because of a power feud, though; I ran away because I wanted to _help_ the galaxy, and I knew I couldn't if I was stuck here. Besides, I was curious. I didn't want to spend my whole life just looking at life as royalty; I would never be able to see it like you guys do. So I ran away.

"I traveled around for a bit during the Clone Wars helping in any way I could (and just trying to survive). It was hard, but you know what? _I loved it_. I was surviving off the sweat of my own brow; _I_ was responsible for _myself_, and I was _helping_ people out there _by_ myself!

"By the time I was ready to join the Army of the Republic, the Clone Wars had ended, so instead, I enlisted in the Imperial Academy on Coruscant. I had to make a fake background so they wouldn't know I was the prince of Nihoma… but I'm willing to face the consequences for that. I don't regret anything that I did."

The room was silent as everyone took this information in. Then Lo asked, "So… are you going to be staying here now?"

Kobayashi laughed. "Not if I can help it."

"You mean you're coming back with us to Death Squadron once shore leave's over?" Lo went on.

Kobayashi nodded. "Yes, I am. I can't become a deserter, you know."

"That explains why you knew everything about this place's culture," Moeema muttered.

"Why didn't you tell us, Koby?" Jifo asked. "Didn't you trust us?"

"I didn't tell any of you because I myself didn't want to believe it anymore." Kobayashi shook his head. "I mean… I just—I didn't want… I had put it behind me. It didn't matter anymore. I missed my family and I still loved them, but I believed in what I was doing. I still do."

Everyone was silent for a long time. Kobayashi sighed and looked down at his straw shoes before saying, "I'm so sorry for keeping this a secret from you all. I know that I've probably betrayed your trust, but… I hope I can still be able to have a good time with you all."

Lo stood up. "Kobayashi… I still haven't been to those hot springs you mentioned during lunch yesterday."

Kobayashi blinked for a moment before looking visibly relieved and then laughing. "You're right, you haven't been there yet. I think I can arrange something. We can spend a week here and then go to my family's retreat. It's out in the middle of the forests of the mountains; I think you'll like it."

"Force, I'm _glad_ they recognized you!" Zhymmia laughed. "Otherwise we would have been stuck in an inn for two weeks!"

"Yeah, look at us now," Rowan agreed, joining Zhymmia in laughter. "We get to live the life of luxury. This is why being in the Imperial Navy is a good thing."

"It pays off!" Carh'la giggled.

Kobayashi laughed some more, happy to know that he had been forgiven. He then paused. "Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Yesterday's parade was a precursor to this evening's parade. The royal family will have to attend—unfortunately—and then there will be a ball afterwards. You all are invited, of course."

"But—we don't have any clothes for a ball!" Zhymmia protested.

"The servants will bring something," Kobayashi compensated. "I'll get them to bring ethnic clothes from all your homeworlds!"

Everyone laughed and excitement sang through the room. Then Lo asked, "Um… what's my homeworld?"

"Eh…" Kobayashi trailed off awkwardly, rubbing his hands together.

"What do you think your homeworld is?" Moeema asked.

Little One closed his eyes. He thought hard and searched his mind. What was his homeworld? How would he know what it was? The first thing he thought of when he said the word homeworld was…

Coruscant. He could see himself in a small room, far less ornate than the one he had just been sitting in. There was one rectangular window on the wall opposite from the door. Against that same wall was a small sleep couch. To the left of the couch sat a desk. On the opposite wall was a dresser. The floor was littered with droid parts. On the desk were numerous data pads with information such as important historical dates and planetary coordinates. On top of all that sat a metal cylinder. It had a familiar look to it…

"Well, Little One? What do you think your homeworld is?"

Lo blinked. He was back in the room in Noriyuki on Nihoma. The image of the small bedroom fell apart and scattered. "I don't know…"

"Hmm… well how would you like to wear Nihoman clothes?" Kobayashi offered.

"I'd love to!" Lo said excitedly. "But… what's a ball?"

Everyone laughed and Kobayashi answered, "I'll explain later, Lo. Just get yourself ready because we're going to have a delicious banquet for breakfast and then I'm going to give you a tour of the palace. By the end of the tour we'll probably have to get ready for the parade."

"That sounds like fun!" Lo nodded.

"All right, then let's head off to breakfast!" Jifo motioned to the door.

* * *

Obi-Wan paced back and forth in front of the large wall before him. The Force signature was _here_. The person he had been looking for was in the palace. How could the person get in there, though? Did he know the royal family?

_How am _I_ going to get in there?_ Obi-Wan thought.

Sighing, he backed away from the palace and returned to the inn. He was exhausted. He had stayed up all night tracking the Force signature and trying to figure out what was going on.

As Obi-Wan rounded the corner to his inn, he saw numerous Imperials gathered there. They were yawning and stretching and talking about getting some breakfast. Among them were some stormtroopers. Obi-Wan even recognized the face of a clone trooper. Why were they at the inn? Was _that_ why everyone was in such a fuss to make sure it was clean? The Imperials were staying there?

_Wonderful_, Obi-Wan sighed mentally. He had to get out of Noriyuki. Maybe he could go into the mountains until they left.

* * *

"This is so amazing!" Zhymmia said excitedly.

Shiine found that he had to agree with Zhymmia. The royal palace was truly beautiful to behold.

Kobayashi was currently showing them the throne room. It was actually smaller than Shiine would have expected, but the room drew attention right to where it needed to be: the monarchs. The room, like the others, had wood floors. The walls were red. The room was box-shaped. The center of the room was a large stage-like platform. It had gold carpeting. The platform was attached to the back wall with two separate doorways for the king and queen to come and go. Instead of doors, though, the doorways had red curtains covering them. Two red cushions sat side by side on the floor of the platform where the monarchs would sit. The platform itself had four wooden pillars and an ornately carved wooden roof. The roof started as a point in the center and then curved downwards before tilting upwards in the corners. Golden dragons stood on the corners of the roof. A small decorative wooden fence about ankle-height was built all the way around the platform. Standing in front of the platform, it rose to about mid-calf height.

In front of the main platform was a smaller one. Like the ornate one, it was rectangular, had a carpet—though this one was blue—and had a small decorative wooden fence going around it. The wooden fence stopped to leave a small opening where a person could step onto the platform. The opening was actually in the right corner of the platform since the door leading into the throne room was on the right wall. There were no cushions on the platform floor. This was where those speaking to the monarchs would sit.

Even the walls and other normally overlooked features were attractive. On the wall left of the two platforms were large windows bringing in natural lighting. The back wall was almost entirely covered by the monarchs' platform, but in each corner were long scrolls with calligraphy written on them. The right wall had a decorative wooden pattern going from floor to ceiling and reaching to both corners of the wall. The only break in this decoration was a circular opening which was the door leading in and out of the throne room. The back wall had wooden furniture with decorative items placed on them.

"What does the calligraphy say?" Kerrick asked.

"The one to the left of the platform says _honor_," Kobayashi answered. "The one to the right says _duty_. They're very important principals here on Nihoma."

"So who were all those people in the parade yesterday evening?" Carh'la asked.

"I'll explain that to you during this evening's parade." Kobayashi said. "This parade is going to have the same people yesterday's did and have even more."

"Will we be allowed to be near you during the parade?" Jifo inquired. "After all, I thought you would be with the royal family on some sort of float or something."

"Technically, yes," Kobayashi nodded. "But I can arrange for you guys to be close by,"

"How close are we talking?" Zhymmia folded her arms.

"Right behind me with your own float, maybe?"

Lo bounced in the air. "Yippee! We get our _own_ float?"

Kobayashi laughed. "Of course you do, Little One,"

Shiine laughed with Kobayashi and then said, "Well it's nearly fifteen on the chrono. We'd best be getting ready for that parade."

Everyone nodded and rushed back to their separate rooms. Shiine, who shared a room with Jifo, quickly put on his formal military uniform.

The formal military uniform was essentially the same as regular uniform. Like the standard uniform, it consisted of regular pants, a double-breasted folded tunic, hat, and a black plast-leather belt. Like all uniforms, the formal uniform had a color-code of its own. The formal uniform was white and it had gold epaulets. The hat was white too and was trimmed with gold. The collar was gold as well. Even the code cylinders had a gold casing that could be put on or taken off for such occasions.

Shiine looked proudly into the mirror before moaning in dismay. He really needed to shave. He quickly grabbed a razor and severed the grizzly red hairs. Stroking his face to make sure it was smooth, Shiine smiled at his reflection. He exited the refresher and entered into the bedroom once more. Jifo was combing his black hair out of his face.

"What do you think of Zhymmia?" Jifo asked.

"What do you mean by that?" Shiine replied.

"I mean as an ensign; what do you think of her?"

"Zhymmia does her duty well," Shiine said, leaning against the large fluffed pillows. "I remember her first day on the _Executor_ her face was like a stone. All she could say was _yes sir_ and _no sir_ for about an hour before she started asking questions. She ignored all the flirtatious looks from my other ensigns in the area and paid them no mind. Never once have I heard her mention anything that women would normally talk about. She's the perfect Imperial."

"I've noticed," Jifo sighed.

"Why do you ask, anyway?"

"I just wanted to know how she was doing," Jifo commented with a shrug. "Because I think I know someone who's got feelings for her,"

Shiine raised his eyebrows and laughed lightly before sitting up in bed. "Who has feelings for her?"

Jifo smiled and shook his head. "I'll let you figure it out."

There was a slight pause and then Jifo asked, "How did you first react to Lord Vader when you were transferred to Death Squadron?"

Shiine paused to consider the question. "Well… I joined Death Squadron a year after the Declaration of a New Order. I was an ensign just like you. My duty was to oversee security in cell block Dorn. I did nothing but my duty for the first five months and then I found myself exhausted. That's when I met Lieutenant Dexen Marth. He was so laid back and fun to be around, rather like Kobayashi is. Lieutenant Marth was Kobayashi's predecessor when it came to that.

"One day the lieutenant I were talking in the lounge when he got a call from the bridge. He told me that we would finish our discussion some other time. I, however, being a curious idiot by nature, decided to investigate the bridge for myself.

"You see, up until I met the lieutenant I was so intent on doing my role and nothing else. I wanted to be the best ensign there ever was. What I found out from Dexen was that being stiff as a board is not the greatest ideas because when you're required to be flexible for a situation, you find yourself breaking instead. He told me to relax a little and get used to my situation. The only unfortunate thing was that after I relaxed, my real flaws began surfacing, mainly being my insufferable need to know everything that's going on.

"So I gave into my curiosity and went to the bridge to find Dexen. When I was about to enter, the door opened and lo and behold there was Lord Darth Vader standing right in front of me."

Jifo gaped and then asked, "What did you do?"

Shiine laughed. "I did what any Imperial ensign would do in that situation: I turned on my heel and ran right back to the turbolift."

Jifo burst into fits of laughter, clapping his hands together in mirth. While he continued to do so, Shiine went on with his story. "I banged that call button so hard I thought I had broken it. Meanwhile, behind me, Lord Vader's breathing steadily grew louder as he approached me. Finally my saving grace arrived and I literally flew into that turbolift. I pressed for Deck 1. As I turned to look at the doorway I saw Lord Vader coming ever closer. I started smacking the button for Deck 1 until my fingers throbbed. The door started to close… I thought I was saved… but then the door sensors picked up Lord Vader's movement and opened once again.

"Darth Vader entered the turbolift. I stood in terror as he walked towards me and waved a hand in my general direction. I thought he was trying to kill me with a wave of his hand. I started trembling and began to back away from him. His hand paused all of a sudden and I could have sworn he regarded me before lowering his hand. Then I looked at the list of decks on the turbolift and I noticed the button for Deck 5 was lit. I wondered if I had pressed it but then I realized that was what Lord Vader had been doing. Believe me when I say that that was the _longest_ turbolift ride I have ever experienced."

When Jifo finally got control of himself he asked, "Why were you going to Deck 1? Wouldn't you go to Deck 2 or 3?"

Jifo posed this question because Deck 1 had nothing for a security officer. On Deck 1 were the engineering section, a droid maintenance facility, and the primary hangar bay.

"Because I could hide in the droid maintenance facility," Shiine replied, causing Jifo to laugh even more. "Not to mention it was as far from the bridge as I could go."

Jifo laughed again and they heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," Shiine called from the bed.

The door slid open and Kobayashi walked inside, leading the others.

"What was all the laughing?" Numel asked.

"Just some… reminiscing," Shiine said with a dismissive wave of his hand which caused Jifo to snort in laughter.

"Let's go," Rowan said. "The parade's setting up."

The group left the hallway and exited the guest house. Off in the distance, Shiine caught a glimpse of senators gathering in a private area so they could get a good view of the parade.

Kobayashi led them to an area off the main road. They walked passed the main building in the palace grounds and then headed towards a building in the far right corner. The building was rather large and taller than the others. Shiine could have sworn he heard something snarl as they drew closer.

"What is that place?" Vader asked.

"It's the stable," Kobayashi answered just as he pushed one of the large doors open.

Shiine felt his jaw drop.

There was a reason the stable was so massive. Shiine could count three dragons in there!

Shiine read about Nihoma before they had arrived, and he remembered reading that Nihoma's wildlife brought many tourists. The most famous of all was the Nihoman dragon, the nook.

Nooks were extremely beautiful and deadly. However, despite popular opinion, they could _not_ breathe fire. Their ferocity lay within their claws and fangs, as well as their sheer size.

The males were a fiery red in color. They had humungous wings, spanning fifteen meters from tip to tip. They were eighteen meters long from their nose to their tail. Their jaws could easily crunch a _Wookiee_ in half. They had horns sticking on of the back of their head, pointing straight back allowing for good aerodynamics. They had tough plate-like scales going in a straight line all the way down their back. The plates curved backwards. On the tip of their tails, they had a small vertical fan-like fin. The males were the more benevolent of the sexes when it came to dragons.

The females, unlike the males, were royal blue. They averaged about the same size and length as the males, but weighed slightly more. The males weighed nine tons while the females weighed an extra ton. The females didn't have plates going down their backs, but they had more horns on their necks. They also had the same vertical fin on the tips of the tails. The females were far more aggressive.

Dragons lived in mountainous areas such as the mountain chain surrounding Noriyuki City. The reason was not only were dragons creatures of the air, but also of the water. The reason why they had fins on their tail was because dragons were good swimmers. They could hold their breath for two hours.

Dragons had a large effect on Nihoman culture. One would earn the title _tengfei_ if they could tame a male dragon and the title _longwei_ if they could tame a female dragon. People on Nihoma highly revered dragons and often did plays and songs about their ferocious beauty. When Nihoman warriors, called _chuuno_, came of age, one of the ceremonies and tests was to slay a dragon. Dragons were also a sign of prosperity and honor. People who had tamed dragons were considered very prestigious. This was naturally why the royal family had three.

"_This_ will be your float," Kobayashi pointed to a male dragon. "His name is Minh. He's my older brother's nook."

"Your _brother_ has his own _dragon_?" Jifo exclaimed.

"Yes," Kobayashi replied. "My parents have their own nooks as well."

"Do you have a dragon too?"

"No," Kobayashi shook his head. "You go through the taming ceremony when you're thirty."

"Taming ceremony?" Shiine repeated.

"Well, I'll explain that later," Kobayashi laughed. "Anyway, you're going to be riding Minh. Believe me, he may look terrifying but he's a softie."

"No wonder he found it so easy to befriend people," Shiine heard Kerrick muttering. "He had to befriend dragons first!"

* * *

Padmé smiled as Jar Jar panicked at the sight of dragons walking out of the palace stable. Beside her sat Bail Organa, who was engrossed in watching the parade begin to go on its way. He, Padmé, Jar Jar, and Mon were all in an airspeeder that would take them around the city as the parade went through the streets.

The front part of the parade began walking forward. The speeder carrying the senators began to fly away from the palace to get a better view. As it flew away, Padmé threw a glance at the two dragons exiting the stable. One was blue and the other was red. Both had large howdahs on them. The howdah on the blue dragon—which was leading the red dragon into the parade—had a curved roof in typical Nihoman style. The poles holding the roof were red with golden curtains hanging on the back of the roof. Two rows of two plushy chairs were inside the howdah. The royal family sat inside. The second dragon held a larger howdah. Each row had two chairs as the first one, but there were six rows.

Padmé had heard that a long-missing member of the royal family had finally returned. Prince Kobayashi had supposedly gone missing seven years ago. It was amazing that he reappeared on Unification Day.

Jar Jar pointed excitedly to the beginning of the parade and they were on their way.

* * *

The parade was started by the fan dancers from before. Crowds even larger than last night's were cheering wildly. Speeders flew overhead and released large fireworks that made one feel a drumbeat in their own chest whenever they exploded. There were other speeders throwing red, gold, and black confetti everywhere.

"So what's with all the dancing?" Kerrick asked Kobayashi over a comlink.

"They're traditional dances," Kobayashi answered. "Back in the day they were created to please the gods and bring good fortune."

Kerrick laughed. "That's interesting,"

Leaning back, Kerrick looked around him at the parade. It was far more elaborate than the other day, with musicians in between playing indigenous flutes and drums. As Kerrick watched, he looked back at Vader, who was excitedly pointing out everything to Moeema.

From what Kerrick had observed, Vader had started to make a wide variety of attachments to the group. With Moeema, he looked at her as a motherly figure and sought affection from her constantly. Zhymmia was more like a close friend since the two had not spent too much time around each other. Ooke was most certainly the mischievous brother who plotted and played with Vader constantly. Kobayashi was also a brotherly figure, ever playful and fun. Shiine was rather like a favorite uncle. Carh'la was an empathetic aunt. Jifo was another brother, though an older and sterner one to be sure. Marrax was like Zhymmia since they had not known each other too long, but Numel was turning out to be another brother to Vader. Kerrick believed that Rowan, due to his rank and general distance from Vader, was rather like the big one in charge who made sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to.

Kerrick personally didn't know what Vader thought of himself, but he supposed it was in a good light since the boy practically panicked when Kerrick mentioned his family. What was odd was that he had heard Vader's voice in his _mind_. He wished Jifo's sister-in-law Fernanda had more information on the Jedi, but it naturally would have been confiscated after the Declaration of a New Order.

_Am I a burden to them?_

Kerrick had originally thought Vader voiced that question, but when he looked at it in retrospect, the query had been directed only at Vader himself. He had been thinking… his thoughts somehow managed to transfer over to Kerrick. How was that possible? He supposed it was another odd Force trick Vader inherently knew.

The very idea that Vader thought of himself in such a negative light worried Kerrick. He didn't want the boy to think that way… he might try to avoid them and that would cause problems.

But what of Palpatine? Kerrick had heard nothing from the emperor. He didn't know much about the emperor's uncanny ability to always be informed even when something had just happened, but the fact that not even after almost four weeks Vader's disappearance was still unnoticed. Not to mention that Death Squadron hadn't reported to any other breathing Imperial since the incident began.

Kerrick snapped back into reality when Kobayashi spoke through the comlink to explain parts of the parade. He was pointing out the younglings in the cream-colored eepudah-no with brown kuze. They were doing movements with two thick wooden dowels attached by a rope.

"Those are the _nian chuuno_, or young warriors," Kobayashi said. "They train themselves in many different fighting styles. The ones in the parade come from the best school on the planet. The school is actually out in the mountains far away from the city.

"Behind them are the _chuuno_, the warriors," he continued. "People show them much respect. They live their lives out as warriors. They have strict traditions and codes that they live by."

"Why do they walk in pairs like that?" Numel asked.

"Because warriors are only allowed to marry fellow warriors," Kobayashi answered. "Those walking in pairs are married couples."

"I'm supposing their children have to follow that path as well?" Moeema inserted.

"At least the eldest," Kobayashi affirmed.

"Who are the people with all the face paint?" Vader asked.

"Those are _geinjou_, or actors, Little One," Kobayashi said with a hint of excitement in his tone. "They dance and sing and play all the time. Maybe we can go see them some time."

"That would be wizard!" Vader laughed.

Kerrick noticed the boy's vocabulary had expanded, and some of the terms he used were not normally spoken by the Imperials. Did Darth Vader used to say _wizard_ at some point in his life?

A speeder flew by carrying some senators and Vader's smile somewhat faded. His eyes darted over to the senators and curiosity dawned on his face, though something deep in his eyes showed contempt. His look made Kerrick nervous.

"Little One, are you alright?" he said, touching the boy's shoulder.

Vader blinked and looked at Kerrick, his eyes refocusing. He smiled and nodded. "Yes!"

The rest of the parade was exciting, fun, and insightful with Kobayashi's tidbits of cultural information. The parade began to round the border of the city before turning once more towards the royal palace. Once it reached its destination, fireworks exploded, making one's heart skip a beat. Kerrick found it exhilarating.

Everyone disembarked their dragon mount and began talking loudly as they walked towards their guest quarters. Kobayashi went with his family but promised Vader he would see them before the ball. Kerrick led Vader back to their guest room.

When they entered, Kerrick immediately grabbed his bag and began rummaging through it. Vader watched him curiously before looking at himself in the mirror. He finger-combed his hair for a while and then he sighed and collapsed on the large bed.

"What's a ball?" he asked.

Kerrick hissed in pain as he accidently had snapped his luggage shut upon hearing the boy's query.

"It's a formal party, Lo," he explained while nursing his somewhat swollen finger. "You have to dress very nicely for it."

"Is what I'm wearing nice?"

"Well… not nice enough for a ball, I'm afraid." Kerrick sighed. "I'll see if I can find something in my luggage that you can wear."

"Okay," was the reply.

Kerrick pulled out a formal outfit for the boy. It was an outfit his wife had bought for him. It consisted of a rich deep red robe that went all the way to the ankles. It was bound by a dark brown obi. The sleeves were wide and allowed for a lot of maneuverability. A brown cloak could go over it, attached around the neck by a small clip. It would certainly do for a ball.

Holding the outfit in front of Vader to see if it fit properly, Kerrick found himself laughing at the boy's odd expression. "What's wrong?"

Vader's face had contorted oddly when the outfit was held in front of him. His eyes had clouded and a curl of distaste framed his lips. His brow was furrowed. "I… don't like it."

"Well why not? My wife bought this for me, you know."

"Why did she buy it?"

"My birthday, silly," Kerrick explained before his mirth went away at the boy's dark brooding mood. "Well, what's wrong?"

"I just don't like it."

"I've never heard of someone getting into a bad mood because they don't like an outfit," Kerrick laughed again.

Vader examined the robe for a short while longer before blinking and looking away. He muttered something, his face darkening further.

Somewhat disconcerted, Kerrick put the robe away and placed a gentle hand on Vader's shoulder. "What's bothering you, Little One?"

"I… I _don't like it_." He said again, shaking his head.

"Why don't you like it?"

"It reminds me s-someone…"

"Who does it remind you of?"

Vader paused, shaking his head once more. His face was still dark, but he finally shrugged and collapsed on the bed, moaning, "Does this mean I can't go to the ball?"

Kerrick blinked and suppressed a sigh. He thought he had almost found something there! "Of course not, Little One; maybe Kobayashi can spare you his formal uniform."

Vader bounced of the bed happily. "Really?"

Kerrick laughed and nodded. "Yes, really… but first we have to do something about your hair."

Vader's hand automatically reached up and twirled some locks of his sandy hair around his finger. "What about my hair?"

"Well you've never properly taken care of it," Kerrick noted. "It's always been a mess. You can't have that in a ball."

"What—b-but… you're not going to cut it, are you?"

"No, I'll just brush it."

Vader blinked. "Brush it? You mean like brushing your teeth?"

Kerrick laughed even harder. "No, Lo, with a _hairbrush_,"

Pulling out just that, Kerrick sat the boy down on the bed and began running the brush through his hair. Occasionally he'd run into a knot and earn a yelp from Vader, but it wasn't anything too serious. The boy's hair was layered but it actually looked rather unhealthy and dry.

"Do you wash it?" Kerrick asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not like I have time during a war…" a low voice muttered.

"What?" Kerrick said in a high tone, startled. His hand automatically jerked and tore through a knot. Vader barked in frustration and pain and jumped. "Ow!"

"Sorry, Little One," Kerrick said automatically before resuming.

As he brushed through the curls, his mind wandered to the voice. From what he had seen of the security feeds when Vader was cornered by Commander Sypikne in the detention center, his voice had lowered menacingly when he grew panicked. It was almost like an automatic defense came when the boy became too scared. It was definitely an authoritative tone, denoting that it truly was Darth Vader speaking for a moment. The tone Kerrick had just heard though seemed different. It was not Little One's pitch, which was light and bouncy, always holding mischievous and excited undertones, and yet it was not the murderous tone he had heard through the security recording. It was… dead. The voice was a low, rumbling tone. It had some semblance of warmth, but overall it seemed to be flat, even dead.

The chime for the door rung and Kerrick called them inside. The door opened and all the men entered, dressed in their formal uniforms. Kobayashi was with them.

"Ah, perfect," Kerrick smiled towards the men. "Koby, I need your formal uniform. Let's see if it'll fit Lo."

"All right," Kobayashi nodded and ran out of the room.

Rowan sighed and leaned against the wall contently. "Are you excited about the ball, Little One?"

Vader nodded enthusiastically before groaning as Kerrick ran into another knot.

* * *

**I think I can safely say that's one of the longest chapters I've submitted, LOL! Please review!**


	21. Unification Day Ball

Kobayashi quickly returned with his uniform. They proceeded in helping Vader get himself into it and then Kerrick groomed his hair some more before finishing by tying it back.

The women entered the room as Numel walked over to the bed and sat down beside Vader. "Wow, Little One, you're going to impress all the ladies tonight."

"I am?" Vader asked, a note of excitement leaking into his voice. "Is that a good thing?"

"'Is that a good thing?'" Numel repeated with a chuckle. "Of course it is, Lo! You always want to impress the ladies, then you talk to them, and get to know them, and—"

Numel howled in pain when his ear was yanked harshly by an irritated-looking Zhymmia. He then immediately blushed and looked away, rubbing his ear. Kerrick saw Vader watch the exchange with mild curiosity before suddenly narrowing his eyes and smiling wickedly. Then, as soon as the expression came, it was gone.

They left the room and walked towards the main palace. Kobayashi led them inside and through a series of hallways before they entered into a cavernous ballroom.

The wall opposite from the one they entered through held a large platform. Five elaborately decorated staircases led onto the platform. In the center of the platform was a large gold-cushioned bench on which the king, King Sahashi Beillane, and queen, Queen Aider Beillane, sat. Two smaller but similarly furnished chairs flanked the bench. The one on the king's side was slightly larger and held the crown prince of Nihoma, Kobayashi's older brother Prince Sano. Flanking the platform were two blue statues of dragons.

The wall on the left was painted red and held exquisite artistry upon it. On the right, there was no wall, but merely an opening into the garden area. There were eight red pillars in the room, four going through on the left side, and four on the right.

Upon entering, everyone in the room immediately bowed low from the waist to Kobayashi, whose face flushed. Kerrick did his best to suppress a sudden bout of giggles.

Kobayashi walked across the room to join his family and the rest of the Imperials walked over to the sides. Kerrick took notice of Vader, who had immediately focused on one part of the room and hadn't looked anywhere else since.

"What are you looking at, Little One?" he heard Carh'la ask him.

Vader didn't offer a reply.

Kerrick joined Carh'la and, along with Numel who had also noticed, they began to examine the corner at which the boy was looking. It certainly wasn't the architecture that had caught the boy's attention; they had already seen the gardens. It must be one of the guests… from what Kerrick saw, there were mostly senators in that corner of the room. He saw the Nihoman senator, Senator Miko Demora, the Alderaanian senator, Senator Bail Organa, the Naboo senator, Senator Jar Jar Binks, the Corellian senator, Senator Garm Bel Iblis, and the Chandrilan senator, Senator Mon Mothma. The only other occupants in that area were two others, an elderly gentleman who was an aide to Senator Organa and a young Naboo woman who was a handmaiden of some sort for Senator Binks. When Kerrick looked over the inhabitants once more, he heard Numel begin to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" he whispered.

"I think I know what he's staring at," Numel replied before facing Vader. "Little One, you wouldn't happen to find that Naboo woman _attractive_ would you? She is quite a beauty, you know."

By then, most of the other Imperials had noticed Vader's odd reaction and heard Numel's statement. The women burst into a strange fit of giggles (all except for Zhymmia, at least) and most of the men exchanged knowing looks.

"She's like an angel…" Vader muttered, causing the women to snort and giggle even more.

"Then why don't you go dance with her?" Numel suggested.

"I… I don't know how to dance!" Vader protested, sounding nervous.

"It's easy," Numel replied, and before the others could say anything, he escorted Vader over to the woman. Kerrick watched in horror as Numel began to talk to her and motioned towards Vader, who had frozen in place.

"What is he doing?" he hissed and Carh'la only laughed harder.

* * *

Padmé smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement to Senator Demora before talking once again to Bail. They discussed what had been happening with the galaxy during the time she had been comatose.

Then, suddenly, two Imperial officers approached her. Both were lieutenants dressed in their formal uniforms. One appeared to be leading the other. The leading one had slick black hair and olive skin. His wide brown eyes were glittering with amusement and mischief. He was tall and muscular, making him look rather attractive… at least to those who were looking for a muscular brainless type as this one appeared to be in Padmé's opinion. His companion was slightly smaller in build, though certainly taller. He looked a little too skinny, actually, almost as if he were undernourished. However, it was not this that caught her attention; it was his face, particularly his eyes. He had a deeply tanned face with bright blue eyes that shone out. They held tension and anxiety in them. The man's face was almost boyish in its expression, showing one of utter terror as he was being dragged over by his companion.

The two lieutenants bowed slightly in recognition and she offered a small bow in return.

"Greetings, my lady," the lieutenant said, slightly alarming Padmé. "My name is Lieutenant Numel Sanus. My friend and I were growing bored with this party until we saw your angelic face."

Padmé's fears immediately vanished. These guys were just trying to flirt.

Lt. Sanus' friend meekly cleared his throat and asked in a small but sincere tone, "Do you… would you like to dance, ma'am?"

Padmé was tempted to refuse him, but unlike his flirtatious friend, he was too innocent for her to say no. "Of course,"

The two stared at each other for a brief instant and Padmé found herself drowning in his eyes. He slowly reached his hand out towards her and she accepted it, not tearing her gaze from his. The two walked out to the dance floor in a daze.

What was _wrong_ with her? She had this horribly unsettling feeling that she had seen him somewhere before.

The music was slow, with an indigenous flute taking the solemn melody. A stringed instrument was strumming in the background, introducing the flute into new passages. A small wooden percussion instrument was tapped occasionally to add to the layering alongside a small metal circle that was touched by a wooden stick to make a ringing noise.

The dance that accompanied the music was a traditional dance, though for some reason the Imperial knew it. Padmé only knew of it through her political experiences; during her first year as a senator she had met the then-senator of Nihoma, who became a dear friend of hers before he was assassinated during the Clone Wars by the Separatists.

The dance consisted of the man taking the woman's hands in his before slowly circling along with her. They would do this slowly for three turns before separating and walking straight two steps and then doing this with another partner and then returning to their original partners. The man would then take her left hand in his right and they would slowly slide their left foot behind them until their arms holding each other were fully extended and they were bent low to the ground. They would then slowly rise and resume their previous position before fanning their left hands and then their right hands over their faces, watching them. They would then turn around and face each other once again and circle once more. Then everyone would go into lines and face each other. They would slowly raise their arms in front of them, crossed at the wrists, before separating them and stretching their right foot back. The line opposite of them would stretch their left foot back and then vice versa so they would be facing each other. The dancers then turned around and bowed before starting the entire routine over again.

Padmé knew she had seen him from somewhere now, but she just didn't know where. The end of the dance left the two of them staring at each other silently before Padmé smiled and nodded, getting ready to leave. However, more music started and she found herself dancing with him once again.

The music this time was a solo by one of the string instruments. It was plucked by one hand while the other lay atop the string to add vibrato or to smoothen the tone. The beat was livelier than the first. Padmé recognized the song. It was called _Miki Hala Kobiyet_, which translated to _Fluttering Dance_. It was based off of one of Nihoma's indigenous butterflies, a small blue fluorescent butterfly that was a symbol of youth.

The dance required for _Miki Hala Kobiyet_ was more exciting than the previous one. The women and men had their own specific parts in the dance, sometimes dancing together. At the beginning of the dance, Padmé went with the other women and lined up in one of the three lines they made. The men stood on the opposite side of the dance floor lined similarly. The women immediately began pouring all of their weight into their left foot and then their right in rhythm with the music waving their hands to where their left palm faced the ceiling when they were on their left foot and then vice versa. The men watched them for a short while before dancing in the same manner except in reverse, going on their right foot when the women would go on their left. They all twirled at the same time before the men continued the dance move and slowly began moving forward into the center of the dance floor while doing so, progressively shifting their feet forward as they danced. The women then began to move until the three lines became one and then they walked around the men in a circle, waving one arm up while the other went down. They then turned around and faced outward, doing the same thing before turning to face the men once again. Everyone then walked amongst each other in rhythm before finding their partner.

Padmé found the young lieutenant and the two were doing the beginning move facing each other. Then the lieutenant took her right hand in his and raised it above their heads. They circled each other in a skipping manner before parting and everyone returned to their three lines on opposite sides. The motions repeated over and over, steadily growing faster and faster before finally finishing with the partners holding the position with their right hands clasped together over their heads.

When Padmé looked at the lieutenant in the face, she could see where the connection was coming from… however, who she was connecting him to was _impossible_. There was _no way_ this lieutenant could be her husband. He just _couldn't_ be. Her husband had become Darth Vader and was in a black terrifying suit. She had to admit, though, that the lieutenant did bear a striking resemblance to Anakin.

She couldn't resist when he smiled. His smile was so much like Anakin's, so full of happiness. Unlike Anakin, though, this boy's smile reached his eyes. Anakin's smile hadn't done that since before the Clone Wars.

The next song was played by the entire ensemble. It was a romantic melody. The flute once again took the main theme, but this flute was different, with a lower, richer sound to it. A percussionist played softly upon metal chimes so well that it sounded just like water. One of the other players started making soft bird calls. The string instrument strummed away smoothly and caressed the tune the flute made. The music was intended to build an imaginary garden with a romantic feel to it, and these musicians were doing a good job of it. To top it off, the small chime was occasionally tapped on to add flavor to the piece. The piece was actually Nihoma's most famous romantic theme that was used in numerous areas in the galaxy. It was titled _Naklo Shasano_: _Bird Garden_.

The traditional Nihoman style of showing affection was not embracing but placing one's hand to the other's chest to share in their heartbeat of life. This was how the dance to _Naklo Shasano_ was done. Padmé placed her hand to the lieutenant's heart and he tenderly placed his right hand over hers. The instant she felt it she could tell it was a mechanical prosthetic, just like Anakin's was. Was this… could this really be…? The two began to take slow steps, Padmé going forward with her left while he stepped back with his right. All the couples floated across the dance floor in this way, not daring to look away from their partners. They occasionally twirled, and when they did so, they switched to where the man gently placed his hand over the woman's heart.

When the lieutenant did so for Padmé, she felt her heart skip a beat; this _was_ Anakin. There was no denying it. She found herself lost in the moment of finding her husband in one piece and looking at her in the same loving manner he used to. She slowly placed her right hand over his left and the two steadily drew nearer to each other. They were about to kiss when the music went on along with the dance and the two had to pull away. Padmé grabbed his left forearm with her right hand and he grabbed her right forearm with his left hand. The two leaned away and slowly twirled before raising their other arms and coming closer once again. They grabbed hands overhead and continued to twirl before resuming their original positions. The next set of moves was pulling close enough to almost kiss and then slowly twirling around each other. They then returned to their original positions once again. Padmé could feel herself trying to go all the way and just kiss him, but a part of her was afraid to do so. The third set of moves was for the man to finally embrace the woman by lifting her into the air and doing a twirl and then gently lowering her to the ground once more. When Anakin did so, Padmé felt as if she were flying. He placed her on the dance floor once again and the two looked at each other as the music faded away.

Without saying a word, Anakin led Padmé off to the side where the opening into the garden was. They walked just outside of the room and sat down at one of the benches.

Padmé found herself panting for air as if she had run ten kilometers. She got a hold of herself and asked, "What is your name?"

He watched her, blinking slowly as if he were in a trance. Then, answering in a soft low tone, he said, "Lieutenant Lo,"

Lieutenant Lo? Was that an alias, or was she really losing her mind? Was her heart so desperate for Anakin's embrace that it was playing games with her? She had thought it was him… it had seemed like him…

"Where do you come from?" she asked.

"Death Squadron," he replied in the same tone of voice.

_Death Squadron?_

"Is that not Lord Vader's fleet?" Padmé continued.

Lt. Lo was about to respond when a voice interrupted him, saying, "Lo, what are you doing out here?"

Padmé turned to see the prince of Nihoma himself, Prince Kobayashi, standing right in front of them. She quickly stood and bowed.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt anything," Prince Kobayashi hastily said.

Lt. Lo stood up slowly before smiling broadly, bounciness evident in his body. His tender gaze vanished and was replaced by a childlike affection for the man in front of him. Apparently they knew each other well. It was time for Padmé to bow herself out of there… she didn't want to attract attention.

She slowly backed away as the two began a conversation. Padmé reentered the ballroom and returned to Jar Jar, trying to shake the whole unsettling experience from her mind. She really was going crazy.

* * *

Kobayashi sat in his respective seat, bored to tears. He had sat through many of these balls when he was younger, and this was no different except the Imperials were there to join him. He risked a glance to his right to look at his parents. His older brother was dancing with a native Nihoman woman named Sumi Tong. From what Kobayashi had discovered, the two had grown very close. Kobayashi remembered Sumi from his youth; the girl used to play with him and Sano all the time. Apparently the two thought of each other as more than friends…

Despite the pleasant distraction that brought, however, it still only kept him preoccupied for a short time. Kobayashi's eyes glanced over the dancing crowd before stopping dead in their tracks. Was that _Vader_ dancing out there?

Sitting up straighter to get a better look, Kobayashi watched as the Imperial officer turned around. It _was_ Vader! He was dancing with some woman (who was extremely attractive, Kobayashi had to admit)! Kobayashi spotted the other Imperials, who were also gaping at the scene before them, even _Numel_. Apparently he hadn't expected Vader to know Nihoman traditional dances. How _did_ he know those dances?

The tune they were dancing to was _Hoona Ie_, which translated into Basic as _Sunrise_. It was a peaceful piece that was not too well known outside of Nihoma. Vader knew the moves perfectly, as well as his partner. If it were not for their attire, Kobayashi would have thought they were natives. Something about the look in Vader's eyes really caught his attention, though.

Once they finished dancing to _Hoona Ie_, it seemed as if they were going to leave. Then _Miki Hala Kobiyet_, a livelier dance, began to play. The two looked at each other for a moment before silently agreeing to dance again. Once again, they both knew the moves, although it was slightly more understandable; _Miki Hala Kobiyet_ was one of Nihoma's more popular pieces.

Their next performance, to the romantic song _Naklo Shasano_, was just uncanny. The unspoken emotions that were blazing in their eyes kept Kobayashi enthralled with their performance. At some points it seemed as if they were about to go farther than the dance moves, but Vader always pulled away before it could go any further. Sometimes he looked unnerved… in fact, sometimes the _woman_ looked unnerved. What an odd couple.

The dance came to an end and Kobayashi lost sight of them in the crowd. He quickly stood up and walked down off the platform in order to find the boy. He caught a glimpse of an Imperial uniform out in the garden and went to investigate.

"Lo, what are you doing out here?" he called as he approached.

Upon closer examination, he realized that Vader was still with the woman. The two had been talking softly when they both suddenly noticed Kobayashi. The woman immediately stood and bowed.

Feeling his cheeks burn in embarrassment, Kobayashi hastily said, "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt anything,"

Vader stood up slowly and then the odd look in his eyes vanished before being replaced with their usual energy. "Hey, Koby!"

Kobayashi smiled and was about to ask who Vader's friend was when he realized that she had vanished. Oh, well. "Come on, Little One, let's go back inside. I didn't know you could dance so well!"

Vader giggled and then ran towards Kobayashi and the two walked side-by-side indoors. "I don't know… I just… started dancing."

"Well that was some _just dancing_," Kobayashi laughed. "You certainly had that woman enamored."

"Yeah…" Vader muttered, his eyes glazing over.

"You like her a lot, don't you?" Kobayashi observed.

Vader could only nod in reply.

The other Imperials soon ran over. Numel immediately approached Vader.

"Good Force, if I knew you were that much of a charmer I would have sought your help earlier!" he said, although his tone denoted the same surprise as everyone else.

"How did you know those dances?" Moeema asked.

"I… don't know," Vader shrugged.

Shiine raised his eyebrows and then sighed, leading Vader towards one of the seats. "Well, I think that's enough excitement for you."

Kobayashi looked at Zhymmia, who seemed a little out of place. He smiled and walked towards her, offering his hand. "Hey, Zhymmia, how about a dance?"

"What—uh, I don't know…" Zhymmia quickly said, clasping her hands in front of her nervously. "I don't know any of these dances…"

"It's okay," Kobayashi replied. "I'll teach you as we go along. This next song is pretty easy to go along with."

"Okay…"

Kobayashi led Zhymmia out to the dance floor. The music that was beginning to play was a Nihoman favorite about a _sechuna_, a delicate pink flower. The piece itself was called _Sechuna_. It was a duet solo for a specific type of string instrument, though this instrument was dedicated solely to plucking rather than adding texture through sliding to different notes. The beat of the piece was faster than the others before except for the butterfly song. The song was actually a traditional song created for the warriors and often danced by the warriors at their _chumiya_, or warrior houses. Kobayashi positioned his right foot slightly in front of him with his hands crossed at the wrists, palms up. Zhymmia copied him.

The moment the strong beats were plucked out by the two instruments, Kobayashi first separated his hands by raising his left hand and bouncing it in the air to the rhythm of the music before watching it slowly fall down to his side, still bouncing upwards though steadily losing momentum. His right hand was held in front of him unmoved until the left hand fell to his side. Zhymmia mirrored him as she was supposed to and he did the same exact thing with his right hand. When both hands were at his sides, one of the string instruments began plucking a decorative harmony to the main theme and Kobayashi made a ball with his hands, holding his left hand over his right. When the strong beat of the music came once again, he stepped diagonally to his right with his already somewhat extended right foot, spreading his hands apart as he did so. He then rocked back, leaning his weight on his back leg, bringing his hands low at his waist, palms facing out in front of him before leaning forward and making a pushing motion. Zhymmia mirrored him exactly, doing the same move to his left and facing the opposite direction as was correct.

The melody then descended and Kobayashi straightened his position and he and Zhymmia faced each other again. Then he placed his left heel in front of him, extended diagonally to the left. He placed his hands forward, fingers stretched apart and facing each other, his left hand slightly above his right. He then began to circle his right hand around him and then slid it over his left hand, taking a step back with his left foot as he did so. He then did it vice versa with the other hand. He and Zhymmia did this move three times before Kobayashi slid his left leg out to his side and separated his hands, letting his right hand flow upward, palm facing the ceiling, while his left hand descended, palm facing the floor. Then he straightened himself and repeated the entire dance over and over to the ongoing tune. By the fourth time around, Zhymmia had it down to where she didn't need to constantly watch him, but rather glance only for reference. They continued for a short while longer before facing each other after the final move of the sequence. Kobayashi then placed his hands in front of him and placed the palms against each other in front of his chest. Zhymmia did similar and then Kobayashi and she bowed to each other and the music ended.

"That was fun," Zhymmia said, slightly out of breath but happy nonetheless.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Kobayashi smiled in return as the two walked back towards their fellow officers.

"You two look good together, you know that?" Kerrick laughed.

Numel grumbled under his breath, causing him to get a funny look from Vader.

Kobayashi sighed and sat down beside his friends. "I wish I could stay with you guys all night, but I'm going to be stuck with my family."

"You make it sound like it's a bad thing," Rowan noted.

"Don't get me wrong, I adore my family," Kobayashi quickly said. "But these balls can be so boring,"

The next piece was not intended for dancing, so the guests began to meander throughout the room. Vader was glancing around in search of someone (probably the Naboo woman he had been dancing with, Kobayashi thought) but seemed to finally relax and just start playing around with Moeema as the two sat side by side on the bench and began picking out funny outfits.

Kobayashi suppressed a groan when he saw his mother looking at him expectantly. After receiving an apologetic shrug from Jifo, Kobayashi walked back towards his family, promising Vader that they would hang out tomorrow.

* * *

**Woo, I had fun doing those dances! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, so please review! :-D Also, I have a poll on my profile asking about these dances. Please go check it out and vote! The results from the previous poll are up on my profile.  
**

**Here are the songs I listened to for inspiration while writing the dances:**

_**Miki Hala Kobiyet ("Fluttering Dance") - **_http : // www . youtube . com/watch?v=GlRHoj9BhZI

**_Sechuna (indigenous flower of Nihoma) - _**http : // www . youtube . com/watch?v=chwADnoFDng&NR=1

**_Hoona Ie ("Sunrise") - _**http : // www . youtube . com/watch?v=2qqmwsxFOK4&NR=1

**_Naklo Shasano ("Bird Garden") - _**http : // www . youtube . com/watch?v=Ox2EMYGk9zE&NR=1

**(Just copy/paste the internet addresses and get rid of the spaces in between! ;-) )**


	22. The Mountain Retreat

**Thanks for all the reviews guys, they help so much! And thanks to all who voted on the poll!**

* * *

The next morning brought dim sunlight lazily drifting into the guest room. Kerrick yawned and shifted in the large bed. He sat up and stretched, rubbing his eyes for a moment before looking over at Vader.

"Wake up, Little One," he said softly, giving the boy a gentle shake.

Vader didn't stir.

"Little One? Little One? Little One!"

The boy gave a moan and a hand twitched, but Kerrick got nothing else out of him. When he pressed his hand down on the boy's shoulder to shake him again, he felt the material saturated with sweat.

Cursing under his breath, Kerrick quickly hopped out of bed and ran to his comlink. "Tell me someone's awake, come on!"

He heard a series of grunts and groans come over the comlink from multiple frequencies.

"Whuz wrong?" he heard Numel slur.

"It's Lo," Kerrick responded quickly. "He's feverish."

Kerrick then heard a multitude of gasps and _what _all at once. Kerrick told them to hurry over and then he cut the connection.

Running over to the bed once more, Kerrick pulled the boy into a sitting position, leaning him against a group of fluffed pillows. He then went to the refresher and got a glass of water. Just as he reentered the bedroom to give the glass to Vader, everyone rushed in still in their nightclothes.

Jifo, who was sporting black sleeping shorts and nothing else, got to the bed first. "How long has he been like this?"

"I just woke up and found him like this," Kerrick replied as he began to pour the water down the boy's throat. Vader coughed a little at first but then he accepted the drink.

Kobayashi then burst into the room wearing a white eepudah-no tied by a brown obi. His normally well-groomed short hair was spiked in all directions, giving him a disheveled appearance.

"I called a healer," he panted. "He's on his way now."

Vader muttered something incoherent, his eyes fluttering open. Kerrick and the others were immediately at his side.

"Little One, can you hear me?" Kerrick asked.

Vader offered a feeble nod.

"Are you feeling any pain?" Moeema questioned.

Again, Vader nodded.

"Where does it hurt, Little One?"

"M-m… my s-stomach and… and my head…" he managed to answer.

"Why did this suddenly come now?" Marrax muttered.

"I don't know…" Kerrick sighed, placing a steadying hand on Vader's forehead. It was burning hot.

"C-can I… still see the… the hot springs, Koby?" Vader asked tiredly.

Kobayashi gave a soft, gentle smile. "Of course you can, Little One… let's just worry about getting better first, okay?"

Vader nodded and closed his eyes, muttering, "Get better first…"

Just then, the healer rushed inside and went to Vader, immediately checking his vitals. After a thorough examination, he faced the Imperials and said, "The boy has a bad virus, but it's nothing too serious. Let him get plenty of sleep and give him lots of water. I would advise getting him out of this area; being cooped up in a single room for days can be quite maddening."

"Thank you," Moeema smiled and the man left the room.

"Where are we supposed to take him? I thought staying in the palace would be a good idea…" Jifo shrugged.

Zhymmia was silent along with the others before she snapped her fingers. "That's it! He wanted to go to the hot springs, Kobayashi, so why don't we take him? I've always read that a trip to the hot springs does a lot of good to one's health."

Kobayashi laughed. "I'll see what I can arrange."

* * *

Padmé brushed her hair silently as she thought about what had happened last night. She still wasn't even sure if it really was Anakin that she had seen. Whether that was true or not, if that lieutenant was from Death Squadron then Darth Vader was nearby.

Slowly lowering the brush onto the dressing table, Padmé sadly looked at her reflection before burying her face in her hands and shedding tears in silence. She wished this whole situation could just resolve. She wished that she and Anakin could be reunited and they could raise their children _together_ as a _family_. She just wanted it to _end_.

Outside, Padmé heard people rushing back and forth and then she heard a loud cry of excitement and joy. Curious, she stood and walked over to one of the windows by her bed, looking outside to see a number of people in their nightclothes beginning to walk out of one of the other guest houses.

She caught sight of seven men and three women. She recognized the flirtatious one from the ball last night. He was wearing a loose cream colored shirt and dark brown sleeping pants. The man beside him, who was of smaller build and had far darker skin, wore only black sleeping shorts. He also was the only one she had observed so far to have a well-trimmed mustache. The next man was the prince of Nihoma himself, Prince Kobayashi. He was in traditional Nihoman sleeping attire. Then there was another pale man who had reddish hair and green eyes. He had the flirtatious lieutenant's build but the prince's height. Then there was another mustached individual (who had a short goatee to go along with it) with blonde hair and blue eyes. He had a fair complexion and wore a pair of white sleeping tunic and pants underneath a blue robe. The last man was an olive-skinned brunette who was the tallest of them all. He also wore a sleeping tunic, pants, and a robe.

Two of the women were in nightdresses. The first one Padmé saw, a tall, tan-skinned, black-haired, brown-eyed woman with the slight extra weight one gains from giving birth to younglings, wore a rose-colored sleeveless nightdress. The other woman was wearing a light green nightdress with a dark green loose sash tied around it. The third one, a woman with a dark complexion, short curly dark brown hair, and blue eyes, wore a white tunic over a navy blue pair of trousers.

Considering the flirt was a lieutenant and one was the prince, Padmé had a suspicion that these people were all Imperials. However, that also meant that Ana—_Lt. Lo_ was nearby.

Her concentration was broken when someone knocked on her door. Quickly putting on a robe over her nightdress, Padmé opened the door to see Bail Organa.

"Bail, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I couldn't talk to you last night when you were near those Imperials," Bail replied. "I have more to tell you than just the political happenings over the past five years. I thought you might want to know more about… about Leia."

Padmé immediately stepped back to let her friend into her room and she closed the door.

* * *

Kobayashi sighed contently as he lounged on the howdah that was strapped onto Minh. This howdah was different from the one during the parade. It was merely a sitting place but had no roof whatsoever to lighten the burden for the nook.

He hadn't expected going to the mountain retreat, but it would be a great relief. His family had to stay in the palace in Noriyuki, which meant that they would not be pestering him about leaving the Imperial Navy as they had been for the past two days. He would be free from that worry and would stay at the mountain retreat until shore leave was over.

The others arrived within the hour with everything packed and ready to go. Kerrick was helping a slightly disoriented Darth Vader climb the ladder which allowed them to clamber into the howdah. Moeema followed closely behind just in case while the rest went in single file after her. Kobayashi leaned over to help pull the boy into his seat.

When everyone was aboard, Kobayashi stood up and began to walk down the length of Minh's upper back and neck until he sat on the nook's head. He then reached into a small pouch he was carrying and pulled out a comb that belonged to his older brother Sano and tossed it down on the ground in front of Minh's face. Minh gracefully lowered his large head and investigated the item, sniffing it loudly with his monstrous nostrils. He then issued a low grumbling sound from his throat and raised his head once more.

"Um… is that a good thing?" Jifo asked from the howdah.

"Yes, it's a perfect thing," Kobayashi replied. "It means Minh will let me fly him."

"He'll _let_ you? I thought he was tamed by your brother!" Rowan said.

Kobayashi laughed. "Our term for taming holds a different meaning than the regular term."

At that, he sat himself in a comfortable cross-legged position and patted Minh on the head. "Let's go, boy. We're heading to the mountain retreat."

Minh let out a roar and slowly turned to his right to walk through the stable doors. He lowered his head to line up with the rest of his body and took massive steps, slamming his claws into the ground as he went. Once he was outside, his large wings unfolded, spreading to their full length. Kobayashi took in the sight with a smile; he hadn't seen a nook preparing for flight in seven years. After all, neither nook flew during the parade yesterday evening. Minh issued a soft growl and then looked up at the sky. Kobayashi automatically placed his hands behind him and dug his palms into the nook's head in order to remain upright. Thankfully, due to the nook's rough scales, his hands could easily grip and make sure he didn't slide off the creature's head.

When Minh had finished smelling the air and stretching his wings, he let out the loudest roar yet. It reverberated around the area, sending tingles up Kobayashi's spine. The next sound heard was like thunder and then the sound of leaves and grass being blown about. This was the sound of Minh's wings beginning to flap. The large wings went up and down slowly at first and then began to pick up speed. Kobayashi eventually felt the sensation of the ground disappearing beneath his feet and Minh roared again, leaning forward slightly to allow for forward momentum. The nook flapped his wings harder and then they sped forward. Kobayashi let out a whoop of delight, joining in the nook's roar.

Noriyuki City quickly vanished under a thin layer of clouds as Kobayashi sniffled and coughed, shaking the cold water from the clouds off of his skin and clothes. He heard some of the others scream in terror and others let out a yell of astonishment.

"Hold on tight!" Kobayashi shouted to them.

He then distinctly heard Vader give a whoop of excitement.

The view provided by the nook's flight was rather impressive. Since it sat in the valley, Noriyuki was covered by a heavy fog that had settled over the course of the morning. However, the mountains were peaking through, looking like rocks piercing through a white blanket. Off in the distance, Kobayashi could make out other valleys and areas that were near the mountain range.

"How long is this going to take?" Zhymmia yelled over the fierce wind.

"The flight will take about two hours," Kobayashi yelled back.

"How far is this place?" Moeema asked.

"Let's put it this way," Kobayashi explained. "Noriyuki City is at the southern part of the _Li_ mountain chain. In fact, it sits right at the beginning of the Li. You see, the Li begins at the southeastern end of the continent and spreads its way through the west in a diagonal fashion. The Li starts with a hook-like gathering of mountains, and that's where Noriyuki sits. The mountain retreat that we're going to is right in the center of the mountain chain where the most untouched forests are. It is a planetary regulation to keep at least ninety percent of that area undamaged and untamed."

"Wow!" Vader said happily. "So how big is the mountain retreat?"

"It's actually not as big as you would think considering it's for the royal family," Kobayashi replied. "Out of the ten percent that has property in _Changying_ (which is what we call the area in Nihoman), only three percent is owned by us for our mountain retreat."

"Who owns the rest of it?" Kerrick asked.

"Well, let's see…" Kobayashi paused to think about it for a moment. "Three percent is owned by the royal family… then there's five percent that's owned by a _jib chuuno_, which is a training house for warriors. The remaining two percent is just owned by people with a lot of money who like to live out in the middle of nowhere."

Minh tilted his head upward and ascended slightly. Kobayashi shivered a little from the cold wind but enjoyed the flight nonetheless.

As they flew farther away from the capital, Kobayashi began to see more of the view beneath them. The Li mountain chain was a middle-aged mountain chain in comparison to some other chains on Nihoma. It wasn't the young and fresh mountain chains that were all jagged and rough, but it also wasn't the low rolling mountains that were far older. It had wildlife and vegetation but still held its height. The tallest mountain in the Li chain was _Gao_, which stood at a staggering eight thousand meters.

Minh suddenly gave out a high-pitched roar, causing everyone to cover their ears.

"What's he yelling about?" Numel asked in a somewhat panicked fashion.

"He heard another nook," Kobayashi answered. "A high-pitched call from a male nook is a call to all other nooks. It's communication."

Sure enough, another high-pitched call rolled over to them. Minh once again roared. Kobayashi squinted and began to look around when he heard Vader shout.

"Over there!" he said.

Everyone looked to the right where the boy was pointing and saw a male nook flying by, followed by three smaller nooks. Kobayashi laughed. "Oh, that's a whole family!"

"Are they going to attack us or something?" Marrax sounded uneasy.

Kobayashi laughed again. "No, as long as we don't fly towards them, we're fine."

The male nook had a ferocious beauty to him. His claws and fangs were far sharper than Minh's and his wings were larger; this was a fully matured nook, and a father at that.

The four nooks then dove down underneath the protective cloud coverage and weren't heard from again.

Sighing contently, Kobayashi leaned back on his arms and held his face upward, a soft smile playing at his lips. His moment of peace was lost, however, when Minh roared again, this time in a louder lower tone.

"Now what's wrong?"

Kobayashi sat up and looked ahead, noticing that Minh's rhythmic flapping was beginning to stop. "It looks like we're here!"

Minh's wings stretched as far out as possible and tilted slightly to the left or right. The nook glided along with the wind, giving Kobayashi a sensation of floating in the air.

Kobayashi heard a laugh and looked back at Vader, who was sitting up and holding his arms out like Minh, smiling and giggling. Air was certainly the boy's element. The other Imperials looked relatively amused… though they were also a little nervous.

Kobayashi saw Moeema tell the boy to sit down, but he didn't hear her over the wind. Instead, he stood up on the howdah and smiled even more.

Now Kobayashi was starting to get worried. "Um, Little One, you might want to sit down. We'll be landing soon."

Vader closed his eyes and took a deep breath before laughing again. He then yelled something that sounded suspiciously like _come get me_ and then… then…

Oh, good _Force_…

Kobayashi's mind went blank as he suddenly saw the boy do the craziest thing he had ever seen _anyone _do: he jumped.

Darth Vader jumped to his left, directly off the howdah… and off of Minh.

* * *

He had only wanted a ride, just one blasted ride… now look at him. He was latched on to the horns of a _dragon_!

Obi-Wan sighed. Apparently he had inherited his old Master's horrid habit of picking up pathetic life forms.

It wasn't even intended! He had been walking through the outskirts of Noriyuki and had decided to walk through the forest to calm down and meditate before finding a way to leave the area. That was when he had run into the dragon. Obi-Wan didn't know much about Nihoman dragons, but he knew enough to realize that a blue one was a female. His first reaction was to slowly and silently go away, but the dragon had already seen him. In fact, she roared in what seemed to be protest and charged towards him. His next thought was to run as hard as his legs would allow, but she stopped that too by nipping—with two _enormous_ and extremely _sharp_ fangs—gently at his tunic and easily throwing him into the air only to land on her head.

She then growled in a low voice and he felt her head rumble with the sound. He then sensed that the dragon held no mal intent, which then made him wonder how in the _blazes_ he had managed to run into the only wild dragon in the galaxy that did _not_ attack Humans.

His next idea was to use the Force to convince the dragon to take him away from Noriyuki, which he did rather successfully. However, the dragon held no understanding of flying safety for her passengers, and Obi-Wan had been clinging on for dear life ever since.

That had been about two hours ago, though he couldn't be quite sure. He wasn't even sure where the dragon was taking him.

Suddenly, he sensed a disturbance in the Force. Looking around wildly, he looked straight up to see a figure falling from above.

"What in the _blazes_…?" he muttered under his breath, squinting against the harsh wind.

After the person, he saw a red dragon (a male) appear from below, followed by three young dragons. The red dragon gave a ferocious roar and began to fly towards the figure, startling Obi-Wan.

"Not good, not good!" he muttered continuously as he tried to urge his mount forward.

The female flew towards the odd sight but was too slow to get there in time. However, the male dragon apparently was not interested in eating the person; instead, it flew alongside the person, diving straight down.

Obi-Wan was completely bewildered. Still, he had to know what was going on. His dragon apparently anticipated his motives, for she continued to fly after the red dragon. The three young dragons merely flew in circles, waiting for their father to return.

Unfortunately for Obi-Wan, following the red dragon meant going into a steep dive as well.

"Blast, even on living mounts I hate flying!" Obi-Wan yelled as he literally held on by his grip on one of her horns while the rest of him was floating above from the force of the drop.

The person up ahead clasped his hands behind him to lower wind resistance. The red dragon folded its wings in further, almost as if it were racing him. Being heavier, though, the dragon quickly went ahead. Obi-Wan could practically hear the person scream in protest. The scream was an excited high pitch, but definitely masculine. It was a boy, probably in his early to mid twenties.

"Can't anything ever go well?" he muttered under his breath as his mount increased speed to keep up with the other two.

Inexplicably, the boy seemed to be gaining even more speed. He waved his arms in front of him and then clasped them behind his back again, almost as if he did a swimming stroke.

It was then that Obi-Wan felt a spike in the Force. _This_ was the one he had been searching for!!

Obi-Wan immediately used the Force to cover the boy's signature so Palpatine or… or _the other Sith_ wouldn't sense it. He then urged his mount to go even faster and he began to reach out in the Force to gently slow the boy's fall.

The boy sensed Obi-Wan tampering with his freefall and fought back, using the Force to push himself even harder. Obi-Wan, however, won the fight and the boy slowed to a halt, floating in midair.

Obi-Wan's dragon finally reached the boy, who, despite floating in the middle of the sky which would normally panic any normal person, was doing a reasonably good impression of a pout.

"What in the _blazes_ do you think you're do… do…" Obi-Wan's words died in his mouth when he saw just _who_ this person was.

Above him, he heard the ferocious roar of another dragon, but it didn't quite seem to register in his mind. His mind had gone numb. Either that or it had left him entirely. Perhaps it was just insanity. That was it, he was just hallucinating.

After all, there was _no way_ that he could be staring at his… his…

The word died just before he could even fathom it. The boy looked up at him with those deep blue eyes and continued to pout. Then the boy got a _really_ good look at him and his eyes widened, his mouth slacking open slightly.

Just then, a red dragon appeared through the clouds above and Obi-Wan lost his concentration. The boy dropped, flying down in an uncontrollable spin. Obi-Wan cried out and his dragon immediately flew down, easily getting below the boy.

Obi-Wan reflexively held out his arms and caught the boy, who was panting slightly. The two stared at each other in silence until the other dragon caught up to them.

This new dragon apparently had been tamed rather than Obi-Wan's female mount. A person sat on its head and it had a typical riding howdah strapped to the center of its back. There were at least eleven people on that dragon.

"Is he alright?" a woman from the other dragon shouted.

Obi-Wan found that he couldn't answer. The boy remained silent as well, staring into his eyes with wonder.

"A… Ana…?" Obi-Wan whispered weakly, trying to say the boy's name.

"Is he alright?" the woman shouted again.

Obi-Wan finally snapped himself out of his daze and got a good look at who was speaking. Then his mind immediately came back, going sharp with alertness.

The woman was wearing an Imperial uniform.

What was he to do? He supposed the best thing to do was just to answer her. "I believe he's fine."

The entire group seemed relieved, all sighing and visibly relaxing.

Then Obi-Wan's mind went numb once again as he felt the boy he was holding wrap his arms around him. Obi-Wan tensed, his entire body anticipating some sort of attack, some sort of trick… after all there was no way this person could be the one he remembered.

"Kichita," the boy muttered softly. Obi-Wan's heart stopped.

"What's wrong?" a man yelled as the red dragon drew closer.

"I… I…" he couldn't even muster a coherent sentence.

"Wow, you must be a long way!" the person sitting on the dragon's head said.

"Yes, I am," Obi-Wan replied. "I wish I knew where I was."

"You are in _Azumi Heuk_." The man answered.

Obi-Wan blinked. "Where exactly is that?"

"Aren't you Nihoman?" the other asked.

"Sorry, I'm afraid not," Obi-Wan replied.

"Then how did you become a long way?"

"No, I didn't, um, _become_ a long way, I _came_ a long way," Obi-Wan corrected.

The man blinked at him before laughing. "No, no, not _long way_… I mean a person who has tamed a female dragon such as yours. A _longwei_,"

_Whoops_, Obi-Wan thought.

"But if you're not a longwei, then how did you manage to ride her?" the man continued. "She looks like she was just tamed. Her horns aren't touched at all."

"I beg your pardon?"

The man merely shook his head. "Ah, don't worry about it. Could you just help the boy over here?"

Obi-Wan looked down at the boy in his arms. He was still hugging him.

Feeling a knot form in his stomach, Obi-Wan slowly walked towards the edge of his mount's head and waited as the others tried to reach out. The person on the red dragon's head patted the animal and said something to it. The dragon immediately reached out its claw for the rider to slowly crawl on and reach out for the boy.

"Here," he said.

When Obi-Wan even started to make a motion towards the man, the boy's grip tightened. "Kichita!"

_No, no, no…_ Obi-Wan heard the thought in his head, but it clearly belonged to the boy. Why was he transferring his thoughts? Did he even realize he was doing it?

Oh, _Force_…

"This child wouldn't happen to have… erm, a fascination for getting into trouble, would he?" Obi-Wan asked, gauging the reaction from the Imperials.

They nodded, some exasperated and some understanding. However, none of them reacted in the way Obi-Wan expected. None of them seemed extremely panicked, either. How odd. One would think Imperials would be more panicked if Darth Vader is being held by a total stranger.

Did they… did they even know he was Darth Vader? After all, the Darth Vader the galaxy knew was in a black suit that sustained him…

Obi-Wan shut his eyes and shook the thoughts out of his mind. "Well, here you go,"

What could he do? He couldn't follow the Imperials, could he?

His question was quickly answered when the boy violently shook off the man's hand as he tried to take him. "No! Kichita!"

"Little one, what's wrong?" the man asked.

"Kichita comes too," the boy replied, burying his head into the crook of Obi-Wan's neck.

"Um, I'm not sure if Mr. Kichita would like to come, Little One," the man replied as one of the women began to make her way over to them.

"Little One, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Kichita comes too," the boy repeated.

Obi-Wan's throat went dry. He couldn't speak.

"Is that your name, sir? Kichita?" The woman looked at Obi-Wan.

Suppressing a gentle smile, Obi-Wan said, "Call me Ben,"

"Little One, why are you calling him Kichita?" the man asked.

"Because he's _Kichita_,"

The man and woman both sighed. "We're terribly sorry, sir,"

"Oh, it's quite all right," Obi-Wan replied.

"Please, Kichita, come along,"

Obi-Wan looked down at the boy in his arms. The pleading tone startled him.

"I… uh, what about your friends, little one?"

The boy looked pleadingly at the man and the woman. The man blinked, looking clueless, but the woman gave Obi-Wan a quizzical look before shaking her head. "Of course he can come along… but only if he wants to,"

"Please, Kichita,"

Obi-Wan sighed. "I'd be happy to come along… but where are we going?"

"We're going to his family's mountain retreat," the woman answered. "Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Moeema Norhek."

The woman bowed in salutation. Obi-Wan did similar… at least as much as he could while carrying Anakin.

"Well, you already know my name," he shrugged. "I'm afraid it's just Ben."

"Would you like to follow us on your nook?" the man asked.

"My what?"

The man laughed. "Your dragon mount,"

"Um, no, I think I'll ride with you guys," Obi-Wan quickly said. "My mount needs to go home."

"Will she be alright on her own?"

"Yes,"

Obi-Wan clambered over to the red dragon, carefully making his way to the howdah. Anakin clung to him the whole way. When he finally sat down, the boy relaxed, smiling and hugging him again.

"He seems to like you a lot," one of the others noted before introducing himself. "My name's Ooke Tunrott."

The others introduced themselves one by one. There was Ooke Tunrott, Moeema Norhek, Numel Sanus, Carh'la Tade, Kerrick Chelcu, Rowan Chupa-Pau, Marrax Mothezsh, Zhymmia Kenzee, Shiine Reukli, and Jifo Hu. The rider on the dragon's head did not introduce himself at first, but he finally admitted that his name was Kobayashi Beillane.

Before Obi-Wan could react to the man's name, he quickly said, "But don't start treating me like a prince. I'm a lieutenant in the Imperial Navy and that's all."

"Ah… well, all right," Obi-Wan said awkwardly.

He did notice that none of them gave their ranks. When he queried as to why, they all laughed.

"We see no need in having you go about calling us by our ranks and last names," Kobayashi yelled from the dragon's head. "This is supposed to be informal and relaxing."

"So where were you headed before you ran into us?" Zhymmia asked.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I was just going anywhere. I wanted to get away from Noriyuki City."

"That's understandable," Ooke said.

"I did notice that you were awfully quiet while we were there," Numel said to Ooke.

Kobayashi apparently heard, since he laughed. "That's because Ooke's a town boy. He grew up in a small town on Corulag. He doesn't like big cities."

Ooke flushed and then shrugged. "I always thought it was too many people. I like having some breathing room."

"I'm surprised you don't go insane in engineering then," Carh'la said.

"I've gotten used to it, I guess,"

Anakin's iron grip on Obi-Wan finally slackened and he let go, enjoying the breeze from the dragon's flight.

The dragon tipped its head downward and they began to dive towards their destination. Obi-Wan clung to the cushion beneath him. Anakin, however, flung his arms outward, smiling and giggling. He hadn't acted like this since he was a boy… even then it wasn't this… innocent.

Was Obi-Wan's theory correct? Did the boy truly have no recollection at all?

"So, what's his name?" Obi-Wan asked, raising his voice a little to be heard over the fierce wind that began to whip across his face.

"His name is Lo,"

"Just Lo?"

"Just Lo. Like you're just Ben,"

Obi-Wan smiled. "I can handle that,"

Lo? Why was that his name? Did they just make it up? Did they even know who they were dealing with?

Everyone was staring at Anakin with apprehension. Their bodies had visibly tensed, anticipating something.

Moeema seemed to notice Obi-Wan's observation. "I'm afraid your run-in with the boy was not accidental. He thought it would be fun to… well…"

Obi-Wan fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was typical of Anakin to do something so reckless.

Standing cautiously, Obi-Wan placed his hands around the boy's ribs and slowly forced him to sit down. "Come on, Lo, sit down,"

"But Kichita, I don't want to," Anakin replied. His tone didn't hold defiance, rather innocent excitement. It was extremely odd.

"Well you have to," Obi-Wan went on, unrelenting as he used to be with the boy. Anakin finally sighed and sat down, leaning against Obi-Wan affectionately.

"Why does he keep calling you Kichita?" Jifo asked.

Obi-Wan shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, my friend."

"Hang on; we're coming in for a landing!" Kobayashi shouted from up front.

The dragon leveled out and began to flap his wings to slow the descent. Finally, everyone bounced about as his claws dug into the ground.

"Well, here we are," Kobayashi said, sounding content and satisfied. The dragon lowered its head and Kobayashi slid off. The others took a rope that had been sitting inside the howdah, attached to the howdah itself at one end. They threw the rope down and began to dismount, one by one. Anakin waited for Obi-Wan before he would follow.

_How am I going to get myself out of _this_ mess?_ Obi-Wan thought as he slid down the rope.

"I don't see anything," he heard Numel say.

"Not yet," Kobayashi replied. "Once we climb that rock over there you'll see it."

Obi-Wan walked alongside the Imperials until he reached the top of the rock and caught sight of the retreat. It was a rectangular two-story Nihoman-style building. The building sat right on the edge of a large lake. All around the retreat were tall mountains, hiding it from view.

Upon seeing the retreat, some of the Imperials whooped in excitement and began running down, including Anakin.

"Ana—Lo, wait!" Obi-Wan called out, barely catching his tongue.

The group rushed down to the retreat and Anakin began to dance around, twirling with his arms out and laughing. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Little one, you're still sick," Moeema said in a concerned tone. "You have to get your rest."

_Sick?_

"He's sick?" Obi-Wan asked before he could stop himself.

"Yes," Kerrick replied, his focus on the boy.

"Then let's get him inside!" Obi-Wan ran over to Anakin and grabbed his arm. "Come on, Padawan—"

Anakin froze. None of the other Imperials reacted, though. Apparently they didn't hear.

Obi-Wan turned to look at Anakin, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "You just called me Padawan,"

Cursing, Obi-Wan prayed the others didn't hear Anakin say that.

Anakin continued to stare at him, unblinking. "Kohay…"

If he hadn't been leaning against something already, Obi-Wan would have collapsed.

However, the moment was interrupted by Kobayashi, who called from the retreat. "Come on, little one!"

The dawning comprehension that had begun to cover the boy's face drained away in an instant. He immediately looked at Kobayashi with a childlike affection and nodded vigorously, yelling, "I'm coming!"

In that instant, his Force signature told Obi-Wan everything he needed to know. Up until now it had been murky at best, practically nonexistent at worst… Obi-Wan had barely recognized his Force signature when he first sensed it. When he accidentally called Anakin _Padawan_, the boy's Force signature changed rapidly. It grew angry and afraid. It was almost as if his Force signature itself tried to lash out at Obi-Wan. The instant Kobayashi called out to him, the fear grew and then suddenly vanished, replaced by a childish signature, holding no negative emotions whatsoever. Anakin really didn't remember a thing.

"My word…" Obi-Wan mumbled.

"Are you coming, Ben?" Carh'la asked from the doorway to the retreat.

Obi-Wan dispelled the dark thoughts from his mind and nodded. "Yes,"

Obi-Wan walked into the doorway with Carh'la and entered the mountain retreat.

* * *

**I know you're dying to leave a review after this chapter, so just push the button! XD**


	23. A Jedi Master

**Wow, I got a lot of reviews for last chapter, thank you to everyone!!! :-D**

* * *

They had finally reached their destination. He had been meditating and anticipating the arrival for two days. He was most interested in what would be found at Dantooine.

From what the reports had said, the Imperial damage consisted of two Star Destroyers. The Destroyers had been identified as the _Accuser _and the _Stalker_ from Death Squadron.

Apparently they had found the Rebel base. But the question now was where had they gone after the battle? Had they limped to an Imperial outpost? That was doubtful, considering no one in the entire navy had the faintest idea where they went.

So that was it. Death Squadron, the most powerful fleet in the Imperial Navy, had vanished after a battle three weeks ago, along with its commanding officer.

Frustration burned Palpatine's blood. How could a fleet so famous, so large, so utterly discernable just _vanish_? He really hated sending a search party of numerous fleets to search the entire _galaxy_, but finding that fleet was a top priority now.

* * *

Moeema sighed and sat down in her room. She shared it with Zhymmia and Carh'la. The room had wooden floors and cream colored walls. The beds were deep, covered in white, almost making it seem like sleeping on a cloud. The three beds were against the right wall. The left wall had a desk and a dresser. The back wall had a transparent door that slid open to the balcony, revealing a stunning view of the lake. The women preferred to keep the door open in order to bring a breeze through the room.

Carh'la walked over and sat down beside Moeema on her bed. "Is it what happened this afternoon?"

Moeema nodded. "I can't believe Lo did that. I… even I thought he wasn't that crazy! Why did he jump off like that?"

"Why don't we go ask him?" Zhymmia proposed.

"He's resting right now," Carh'la replied. "We just finally got him to sleep. He wanted to go explore, but we convinced him that it was too dark."

Zhymmia paced the room twice before sitting on her own bed. "What do you think of Ben?"

"He seems nice enough," Carh'la shrugged. "If not a bit quiet… but I suppose that's expected of a person who was literally dragged into a vacation with a group of strangers."

"He seems to have adapted well," Moeema sighed again, shaking her head. "But why is Lo so attached to him?"

"I don't know…"

Changing the subject, Carh'la looked over at Zhymmia. "Why are you wearing those sleeping pants and tunic, though? If it weren't for your hair I'd say you look like a man."

"I was thinking of getting my hair cut, anyway," Zhymmia laughed.

"Why do you dress like a man, Zhymmia?"

"Because that's all the Empire wants in the navy," Zhymmia answered, crossing her arms irritably.

"Zhymmia, it was probably tough to go through the academy, but you've graduated." Moeema joined the conversation, facing the younger woman seriously. "You are a woman, whether they like it or not. The point is that you're in the navy now. You're an ensign and a very capable one at that."

Zhymmia sighed. "How is it that you two can be so feminine and yet not be bothered? I mean you're both lieutenant commanders! How did you get so far, particularly with families?"

Carh'la smiled. "My husband takes care of the younglings while I'm gone. He's pretty much a stay-at-home-dad."

"So you reversed roles?"

"I suppose you could say that. I felt it was my duty to serve the Empire since I had enlisted too late to serve the Republic during the war."

"You enlisted in the Republic Navy?"

"Yes, I did."

"What about you, Moeema?"

Moeema gave a shrug. "My younglings are all grown. I have four boys and one girl. The girl was the oldest. She's now married and expecting her second child. My two elder boys are also married. The eldest boy has a son on the way. Then my two younger boys are studying in a university. One wants to be a linguist and the other wants to be an actor."

"How old are you?" Zhymmia asked. "I mean, I thought you were thirty-something."

Moeema laughed. "No, I'm forty-nine. I had my first child when I was twenty."

"That's awfully young to be having younglings," Carh'la noted. "I didn't have my first until I was twenty-six."

"It wasn't too bad," Moeema said. "We struggled financially at first but we got through it."

"What about you, Zhymmia?" Carh'la asked. "Have you ever given marriage consideration?"

Zhymmia blushed furiously and looked away. "My goal was always to be the best naval officer I could be. My goal was always to serve in the Imperial Navy. I… never even thought about marriage,"

"You only live once, you know," Moeema said knowingly.

"But being an admiral is my dream!" Zhymmia protested. "I can't do that if I've got kids to worry about!"

"Younglings are a blessing, young Zhymmia. They're not a curse."

"I don't look at them as a curse; I just don't want them right now."

Carh'la nodded her head forward slightly. "You claim to never have considered marriage and yet the mere mention of it sends you blushing, Zhymmia. Are you really telling us the truth?"

"Yes," came the all-too-hasty reply.

"Zhymmia," Moeema stood. "We're not telling you to quit your dream. We're just saying that once you get to the top and you're an admiral, then you'll want to have someone there to share the joy with. You won't want to be alone. This is a big galaxy, you know."

"Now get out of those hideous clothes and put some real clothes on," Carh'la laughed. "I believe any woman caught wearing those would be ashamed."

Zhymmia shook her head. "Sorry, but no. I'm an Imperial, not a woman."

Both elder women sighed. Moeema knew it would take a while for Zhymmia to realize that being a woman was nothing of which she should be ashamed.

Returning to the previous conversation, Zhymmia said, "What do you think that Ben guy was doing when we ran into him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well he said he was just trying to get away from Noriyuki. My question is why he was doing that with no particular place to go."

"People often find themselves desperate to get away from things, even if they have nowhere else to go," Carh'la said. "Kobayashi is a perfect example."

"I guess," Zhymmia looked down. "But what are we going to do? I mean, we can't tell that guy who Lo really is."

"Of course not," Moeema replied. "We just have to figure out why Lo is so attached to him. Then, when the shore leave is over, we can easily separate him from Ben and we can go along our merry way."

"Speaking of merry ways, how are we going to explain this whole incident?" Zhymmia continued, unrelenting.

"What—as in the _whole_ incident?"

"Yes,"

Carh'la laughed. "_We_ aren't going to explain anything. That will be left up to Captain Mentzer."

"We're Death Squadron, though; I mean half of the Empire probably knows we've been missing for four weeks now!"

"I believe that issue is looming over all of us," Moeema said. "But it's not going to do us any good to worry about it while we're on vacation. Relax, Zhymmia. We'll figure this out."

The three women went to their respective beds and turned out the lights, quickly falling asleep.

The smell of water wafted in through the open door and filled her nostrils. She could feel the warmth of the sun shining on her. Sounds of countless birds chirping rang in her ears. It was a bombardment of the senses, and yet it was calming. Between the sounds, smells, and the comfortable bed, Moeema found that she did not want to wake up from this state.

She heard shifting from the bed to her right. Carh'la was waking. A yawn from the bed on the other side of the room told her that Zhymmia was also awakening.

Suppressing a sigh of disappointment at being forced out of bed, Moeema opened her eyes and sat up, stretching her back. When she hazarded a glance at the chronometer hanging on the wall, she saw that it was nine in the morning, far later than she would have normally awoken.

"Did you sleep well?" Carh'la asked softly, blinking slowly and running a hand through her blonde hair.

Moeema offered an affirmative grunt, too tired to say anything. After a few minutes, she finally pulled the covers off and placed her bare feet on the wooden floor. Moeema stood and stretched again, walking towards the balcony.

The view was impeccable at that time of the morning. The sun was just rising over the mountains, making the lake sparkle. Moeema caught sight of the new companion, Ben, sitting on the lake shore. He was sitting on his feet, his hands placed on his lap. From what she could see, his eyes appeared to be closed, his head tilted forward in deep concentration. He was meditating.

"He's such an odd person," Moeema muttered.

"Who?" Carh'la asked as she walked onto the balcony followed by Zhymmia.

"Our mysterious new friend," Moeema answered, motioning towards the man. "He dresses in Nihoman clothing, rides a dragon, and meditates like the natives, but he claims he is not Nihoman."

"There are other cultures out there that meditate," Carh'la suggested.

"I don't know," Zhymmia said slowly. "I agree with Moeema. Something about him is just… odd."

"Well, let's head down to breakfast," Moeema sighed, turning away from the balcony. "That is if the other men are awake."

* * *

Obi-Wan sat on the lake shore. He had been meditating for about four hours now. He was trying to find some sort of peace of mind so he could properly organize his thoughts and figure out what in the blazes was going on. His mind swirled with so many questions. He couldn't even sleep last night.

Why did Anakin not remember anything? Why did he look just as he did before the Republic fell? Why did the Imperials call him Lo? Did the Imperials even know who he really was? If they did, why were they treating him in such a way? Why didn't the _emperor_ know? Where did the emperor fit in all of this? What about the rest of Death Squadron?

Sighing, Obi-Wan opened his eyes and looked up at the retreat. It was a pleasant area to be sure. Under normal circumstances, Obi-Wan would have found it to be quite relaxing. However, he hadn't had normal circumstances since before the Clone Wars.

Obi-Wan let his mind clear while he watched the lake water lapping against the shore. Birds swooped down to the lake before shooting into the air once more, fish in their beaks. Nihoman ducks landed on the water and began swimming and quacking loudly. Geese soon joined them.

Smiling softly, Obi-Wan stood. He shook the dust off his clothes and turned to walk inside.

Anakin was standing in the doorway.

"Uh…" Obi-Wan's statement died before it could reach his throat.

Anakin walked out towards him, calm and silent. When he reached Obi-Wan, he watched him, examining him closely. His blue eyes showed confusion.

"Kichita," he whispered.

Obi-Wan didn't know if he could respond, but any thought of doing so vanished the instant the boy threw his arms around him.

"I feel sick," the boy mumbled into Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Then you should be lying down," Obi-Wan said automatically. "Come on, Ana…"

He stopped himself from saying the name but then curiosity flooded him. What would happen if he _did_ say the boy's name?

"I don't want to lie down," Anakin mumbled, a touch of exasperation filtering into his tone.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Well you need to. You shouldn't be out here if you're sick."

"I'm not that sick…"

"Naturally," Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. Even when the boy didn't remember he still tried to avoid admitting being ill. "And the Sith have a heart,"

_Ah, blast,_ Obi-Wan silently cursed as Anakin stiffened upon hearing the name.

"What are Sith, Kichita?"

"Why don't we leave that discussion for later?" Obi-Wan replied hastily. "Tell me, child: What is your name?"

"Lo,"

"Are you sure?"

"That's what everyone says it is."

"And you believe them?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

"I have no reason to believe you should mistrust them, young one. I'm just wondering if _you_ think that's what your name is."

"I never really thought about it,"

Obi-Wan was tempted to roll his eyes again, but he controlled the gesture. "Somehow that does not surprise me."

"Well… it doesn't seem right."

"What doesn't seem right?"

"My name… it doesn't seem right. I don't think it's Lo, but I do like Little One."

"Little one? That's what they call you?"

"They called me that at first. They still do. They just call me Lo, too."

"I see,"

"Kichita, can we go to the hot springs now?"

"There are hot springs here?"

Anakin immediately leapt out of Obi-Wan's arms and began bouncing on his heels with excitement. He immediately started to ramble on and on, saying, "Oh, yes there are! There are tons of hot springs here, I heard from one of the servants at the palace! They said that if you go swimming in them it makes you feel a lot better! I heard them talking about a lot of things with hot springs, they said that there's a hot spring near the retreat called Bul-san that's really big and private! They said that when we go to the retreat they would show us because they were supposed to come along and—uh-oh."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I don't think they know we're here,"

"Who doesn't know?"

"The palace… or the other Imperials…"

"The other Imperials? How many Imperials are there?"

"All of Death Squadron is here! Didn't you know, Kichita?"

"All—_all of Death Squadron_?" Obi-Wan stuttered.

"Yes,"

"Oh. Wonderful,"

* * *

"What do you think of him?"

Kobayashi shrugged. "I don't know what to think of him. I just met him. What I'm wondering is why Lo is so attached to him."

"That's worrying me," Moeema said.

"Why is it worrying you?"

"Because that man could be trouble and we wouldn't know it,"

Kobayashi laughed. "I beg to differ, Moeema. You didn't see Lo when the Rebels boarded the _Executor_. He knew there was danger. If this man were out to hurt us, I believe Lo would have let us know by now."

"The boy is sick," Carh'la pointed out. "He could accidentally miss something."

"I suppose it is possible," Kerrick sighed. "What are we going to do with him, though?"

"Perhaps we should start by asking who he really is." Zhymmia suggested. "After all, since when were people _just named Ben_?"

Sighing, Kobayashi walked outside of the building to get the man in question. What he saw instead was Vader up on his feet and trying to drag the poor man into the lake.

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

"No, I—you need to lie down!"

Kobayashi motioned towards the others, who were about to run out and stop Vader when Rowan suddenly stopped them.

"What are you doing?" Kerrick hissed at him.

Rowan put a finger to his lips. "Be silent, Kerrick. Let's see how Ben reacts."

Vader was ankle deep in the water, tugging at Ben's wrist. "Come on!"

Ben tugged back, successfully bringing the boy ashore. "Lo, you have to rest. You won't be able to enjoy all of your time out here if you get even sicker."

"But I don't want to rest!"

"Just because you don't want it doesn't mean you don't need it."

Vader huffed a little, giving the man a sour look. Surprisingly, though, Ben seemed undaunted. "Come on, Little One."

Ben turned to bring the boy inside and paused upon seeing Kobayashi and the others. "Oh. Good morning."

Kobayashi laughed. "Good morning to you too,"

Ben led the boy inside the building and everyone waited for him to return after putting Vader to bed. When he did so, Kerrick motioned for him to step outside.

"Now, friend," Kerrick said to Ben. "We are terribly sorry for what happened yesterday. I'm sure you have somewhere you need to be heading right now."

Ben shook his head, a twinkle coming to his eye. "If you don't mind, I'd really prefer to stay here with the boy."

"You've taken a liking to him?" Moeema asked.

"As a matter of fact I have," Ben replied with a smile.

"Then what is your _real_ name?" Jifo asked.

The twinkle vanished, leaving haunted eyes. "All I can tell you is that my name is Ben."

"How can you expect us to trust you if—" Numel began to say before being interrupted by Ben.

"I never once expected you to trust me. I was very much surprised when you willingly allowed be to join you. I mean none of you any harm. I do not want to hurt anyone. All I want is to help the child. Please… please let me help him."

Kobayashi sighed. "We would like for you to help, but… we cannot allow someone we… well…"

Suddenly, Carh'la stepped forward and said, "If we promise not to tell anyone what you confide in us, will you tell us about yourself?"

The other Imperials gaped at her. Even Kobayashi gaped at her. He knew that Carh'la was assigned to Death Squadron because of her ability to think outside of the box, but… _but_…

"That's quite a promise," Ben observed.

"Yes, it is," Carh'la nodded. "And I promise it,"

When Jifo made a feeble noise of protest, Carh'la glared at him. Kerrick then stepped forward. "I promise as well,"

Rowan nodded. "I promise,"

Numel looked at his superior officers worriedly, but nonetheless promised as well. Kobayashi prayed that they wouldn't regret this and then promised.

Jifo, Marrax, and Zhymmia were silent. Shiine and Ooke cleared their throats and nodded, saying, "We promise,"

Again, Jifo, Marrax, and Zhymmia were silent. Finally, Marrax promised.

Everyone waited for Jifo and Zhymmia. The two seemed too shocked to speak. Kobayashi prayed that they would just promise already; Ben may not wait forever.

Kerrick narrowed his eyes and Zhymmia immediately said, "I promise,"

Finally, Jifo conceded.

Ben looked over all of them with astonishment before letting out a soft chuckle. "I don't believe you're going to like what you hear."

"We made our oath and we're not going to break it," Carh'la said.

"Now answer this: have we met before?" Rowan suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"Have we met before? You look awfully familiar,"

"I'm afraid not, my friend."

Rowan brushed it aside. "Very well… now what is your name?"

Ben sighed and dropped his gaze, closing his eyes for a moment and taking a calming breath. Kobayashi gulped; who _was_ this guy? The man opened his eyes and looked at them. His eyes clearly indicated that he was ready for anything.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi."

* * *

**The review button calls to you...**


	24. Discussing Anakin

**Thanks for your reviews! As a way of saying thanks, I will write a one-shot about one of the Imperials before the events of this story. The poll on my profile will allow you to choose which one you would like to see. :-)**

* * *

Azumi Heuk was the northeastern area of Changying. Since most of it was completely untouched by sentient beings, it held a sense of wild freedom to it. The sounds heard in this area were of nature: the water rushing down streams and rivers, the leaves blowing in the wind.

So when the sound of a panicked scream and almost a dozen blasters being snatched out of their holsters was heard, it was definitely not normal.

"_Obi-Wan Kenobi?"_

"The _Jedi_?"

Obi-Wan stood still despite being held at blaster point. "Yes, that is me."

"But—you—" Jifo stuttered.

"How did you survive Order 66?" Rowan asked.

"With the help of the Force, my friend," Obi-Wan replied, spreading his hands calmly in a shrug.

"But—but how did you get here?" Carh'la asked, wide-eyed and pale.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I sensed a disturbance in the Force."

"What?"

"In other words, something felt unusually wrong,"

"What do you mean by _unusually wrong_?"

"Well the state of the galaxy right now is rather unstable, but what I felt was even worse than normal."

Kobayashi shook his head. "So you sensed something wrong and came out of hiding for it? How bad is it?"

"Bad," Obi-Wan said evenly.

"Don't start getting evasive," Carh'la told him, putting her blaster away, much to everyone's surprise. "We promised that we wouldn't tell anyone else."

"What—but—Carh'la that's _treason_!" Zhymmia gaped.

Carh'la shook her head. "We're already treading that line, Zhymmia."

Obi-Wan looked at Carh'la curiously before asking, "How much do you know about Lo?"

Everyone paled.

"How much do _you_ know about him?" Kerrick asked.

"Quite a bit," Obi-Wan answered quietly. "And judging from your reaction, you know that there is something more to him,"

"Such as…?"

"Such as his true identity,"

"How do you know that?" Kobayashi burst before he could stop himself.

"The Force, my friend," Obi-Wan said cryptically.

Carh'la shook her head. "Let's take this from the beginning, Kenobi. Why did you come to Nihoma?"

"Well, as I said, I sensed a disturbance in the Force," Obi-Wan explained. "The disturbance was someone accessing the Force instinctively. I thought it was perhaps a rogue Jedi or a Force-sensitive individual who had no previous training whatsoever. Whatever the cause, the person was causing utter mayhem. I had to find him.

"When I started to follow his trail, I found myself on an outpost. I had to hide rather quickly because of Imperial presence there, and I hid on a frigate going to Nihoma. That is how I arrived here."

"So… so you didn't even know he was here when you arrived?" Ooke asked.

"No, I did not," Obi-Wan answered. "In fact, I didn't even realize he was on the planet until two days ago."

"That was the day we arrived!" Marrax sputtered.

Obi-Wan let out a soft laugh. "I thought I sensed something odd when I saw a group of Imperials…"

Kobayashi closed his eyes temporarily just to catch his breath. He was standing in front of a Jedi! Now what were they going to do?

"How much do you know about Lo?" Moeema asked in a determined tone. "Tell us everything."

Obi-Wan remained silent for a moment before sighing heavily. "I know his true name. I know who he really is. I know that he doesn't remember anything of his past for some strange reason."

"You… you know who he is?" Zhymmia whispered, sounding horrified.

"Yes, I do,"

"What's his name?"

"I believe you would know him as Lord Darth Vader,"

Suddenly, Kobayashi heard footsteps behind him and everyone turned around. Vader was standing in the doorway, looking tired.

"I'm hungry…" he muttered.

Obi-Wan brushed past them and walked up to the boy.

"Where is the kitchen?" he asked Kobayashi.

"Uh… the kitchen is through the door on the right from the foyer," Kobayashi answered. "But… there isn't a cook,"

"Why isn't there a cook?"

"Everyone was given the week off for Unification Day," Kobayashi explained. "And no one knows we're here because we left earlier than expected."

"Wonderful," Obi-Wan muttered. "Well then I'll have to make something."

"You can cook?" Numel asked, sounding incredulous.

"A Jedi is taught many things," Obi-Wan said with a gentle twinkle in his eyes.

"Kichita is a great cook!" Vader exclaimed happily.

"How would you know that, Little One?" Moeema asked.

Vader paused, somewhat confused. "I… I just know."

"Let's go inside, shall we?" Obi-Wan suggested. "Come along, young one,"

Kobayashi and the other Imperials followed Obi-Wan and Vader inside the retreat and into the kitchen.

The kitchen was a large area. The left, back, and right walls all had counters attached to them. There were cabinets above and below the countertops.

Obi-Wan began sifting through the different cabinets. "Well let me see…"

As he searched, Kerrick silently motioned for them to leave the kitchen and return outside.

The instant they did, everyone began yelling at once.

"He's a _Jedi_!" Zhymmia nearly yelled. "How can we trust a Jedi? I—I thought they were all dead! What are we going to do?"

"There's _no way_ he's staying near Vader," Moeema interjected. "He'll hurt him!"

"What are we going to tell the others? Why did you make us say that blasted promise, Carh'la?" Jifo bellowed.

"Are you sure he won't try to kill _us_ first since we know his secret now?" Ooke said.

"I say we shoot first and ask questions later!" Numel piped in.

Rowan held his hands up to calm everyone.

"Be quiet, all of you," he said. "Let's calm down and think this through logically."

Kerrick stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Kenobi doesn't seem to mean us any harm. He said that himself."

"What good is that to us?" Jifo retorted. "He's a Jedi, we can't trust him!"

"Just because he's a Jedi doesn't mean he's untrustworthy," Shiine snapped.

Kobayashi remained silent. He knew why Shiine was arguing that point. The man had a loyalty to the Jedi… he felt that he owed them. Of course, none of the other Imperials knew of this secret.

"Look, everyone needs to stay calm," Kerrick intoned. "If you panic you won't think properly."

Kobayashi bit back the chuckle that threatened to escape. Of course Kerrick would say that; he was known for his cool head during any crisis. At least he gave the impression of being centered.

Everyone grew silent, waiting for Kerrick to continue. "Now, we need to figure out what to do."

"And let's look at the argument from _both_ sides," Carh'la said. "If we are to figure out his motives, we must see things from his perspective."

"Very well," Rowan sighed. "What _is_ his perspective, then?"

"Well, he's a Jedi, so his best idea would either be to cause trouble and fight the Empire or to hide from us," Carh'la began. "Master Kenobi has chosen to come out of hiding. His claim is that he was searching for a 'disturbance in the Force.' Would a Jedi really come out of hiding because he senses something wrong in a galaxy already so, as he put it, 'unstable'?"

"That doesn't make sense," Kerrick shook his head. "Why would a Jedi concern himself with balance when he's in hiding?"

"It is how the Jedi are," Shiine intoned. "Even when faced against the worst of odds they still try to do everything they can to help."

"You make it sound like you admire them," Jifo noted, sounding incredulous.

"I never said I did," Shiine shook his head. "I'm just saying that the Jedi work that way. It's still pretty logical for him to come out of hiding for something like that. You have to remember his exact explanation for the disturbance: he sensed someone instinctively accessing the Force, those were his words. If someone is using the Force, one would automatically assume it's a Jedi; wouldn't that be enough incentive?"

"I suppose," Ooke shrugged. "B-but I still don't like it."

"Then let's look at it further," Carh'la continued. "He came out of hiding to find a possible fellow Jedi. That part is valid. The next part of his story is that he ended up on an Imperial outpost and had to stowaway on a frigate which inadvertently took him to Nihoma. Judging from the way he explained how he sensed Vader, I would assume he arrived far before we did."

"Is there any way he can prove that?" Kerrick asked.

Kobayashi thought for a moment before snapping his fingers. "The _Kakegoe Mmona_!"

"…The _what_?"

"Kakegoe Mmona translates to _Unified Jubilee_," Kobayashi explained. "It's a song about Unification Day. It's a Nihoman tradition to sing this song in public areas just before the holiday. In other words, you'll hear it in restaurants, cantinas, theaters, schools, _everywhere_. Many a time, people gather together and start parading around on the streets singing it! If Kenobi really has been here longer than us, then he's bound to have heard it at some time."

"Would he be able to recognize it?" Rowan asked.

"Well, the word _mmona_ appears in it numerous times…" Kobayashi muttered. "Um… right before they begin to sing the song, they all shout the title of it, _Kakegoe Mmona_, so he'd recognize the words,"

"Let's go try it," Carh'la said, taking Kobayashi with her. The two entered the kitchen once more to see Vader and Kenobi busy cutting vegetables.

"Kenobi, you wouldn't happen to know the words _Kakegoe Mmona_, would you?" Kobayashi asked, trying to sound calm.

The Jedi paused from his work. Vader did too.

"Ah, I believe I heard those words being used a lot a few days ago," Kenobi replied. "Then they'd suddenly burst into song."

Kobayashi laughed. "Yep, that's _Kakegoe Mmona_ all right!"

"Oh, is that what it's called?"

"Yeah, it's a song for the holiday,"

"I see,"

Kenobi looked at them for a moment longer, almost as if he knew what they were doing. Then he resumed his work. Vader, however, did not.

"What's wrong, Little One?" Carh'la asked him.

"You called him Kenobi," he said in an even tone.

The Jedi paused.

"Well, yes, we did," Carh'la said matter-of-factly. "Do you know that name?"

Vader stayed quiet, looking from Carh'la to Kobayashi to the Jedi. He sighed and looked down at his vegetables, shaking his head. "I don't know,"

Kobayashi was more than concerned about the boy's abnormally low tone. What was wrong with him?

"Little One, are you alright?" he asked.

Suddenly, Vader closed his eyes and banged the knife on the table. "I'm _fine_,"

The sound brought everyone else into the room. "What happened?"

Vader leaned against the counter, looking up at the ceiling and sighing again. Kobayashi was too shocked to say anything at all.

"I think it's time for you to lie down," the Jedi said calmly, walking towards Vader.

"No,"

"_Now_, young one,"

"Why should I?"

This wasn't like the boy they had been taking care of at all!

The Jedi placed a firm grip on Vader's arm, looking into his eyes. Vader began to settle. Kenobi then gently led him out of the room. Everyone else stood in astonished silence.

When the Jedi returned, Moeema turned on him. "What did you do to him?"

"What did _I_ do to him?" the Jedi repeated, sounding a little exasperated. "I understand that you aren't going to trust me, ma'am, but you must be reasonable. The boy did not start acting negatively until you mentioned my name."

"So what does that mean?" Ooke asked.

"It means that whether he knows it or not, he has all of his memories quite intact and—"

"We already know _that_!" Jifo interrupted.

The Jedi paused, waiting for the panic to settle before continuing, "It means he has all of his memories intact _and_ they're resurfacing."

"They're… they're what?" the words tumbled out of Kobayashi's mouth before he could stop them.

"Has the boy ever acted out of character before? As in he has not been extremely excitable and curious?"

"There are times," Rowan nodded.

"Those are his memories resurfacing," Kenobi explained. "I'm afraid he's not going to stay your 'little one' forever."

"We never expected that," Moeema snapped.

"Then what did you expect?" Kenobi asked.

Everyone went silent. Eventually, Shiine shrugged and said, "We didn't know what to expect."

Kenobi sighed. "All I can tell you is that those memories are coming back with a vengeance. The slightest slip-up can make him furious or upset. Mentioning my name is not exactly the safest thing to do."

"Does he know you?"

"All too well," Kenobi said darkly.

"It wasn't this bad until you came along," Moeema growled.

"Moeema, _enough_," Carh'la muttered to the other woman.

"I'm sure it wasn't this bad before," Kenobi sighed again, seeming to age in front of Kobayashi. "My best theory is that it has slowly been growing worse over time… has… has he ever lashed out in anger?"

Kobayashi remembered the battle over Dantooine and shook the shiver that began creeping up his spine.

"He… he lost it one time," Kobayashi finally said.

"What do you mean?"

"It happened two weeks ago… he got scared and the hyperdrives died…"

"You mean a Force Reaction?"

"What?"

"Force Reaction is a term we use for innate use of the Force with one's emotions. If a Force-sensitive child grows scared or angry, the Force reacts to his or her emotions. A lot of times an item may go flying or something may break."

"Does the power ever go out?" Kerrick asked.

"That can happen, yes,"

"Can it affect an entire fleet?"

"It would require and extremely powerful Force-sensitive," Kenobi nodded. "And I do believe Lord Vader fits that description rather well."

"So _that's_ what it's called," Kerrick blew out a breath. "Anything else we should know about?"

"Well first tell me what happened two weeks ago,"

"Right!" Kobayashi nodded. "Um, so Vader used Force Reaction because he got scared and it knocked out the entire fleet. We lost power and got knocked out of hyperspace. What was unfortunate was that we landed right in front of Dantooine, which apparently was where the Rebels were hiding. Both sides kind of blinked at each other before opening fire. A battle ensued and in that time, I was sent to protect Vader.

"Eventually the Rebels got a boarding party on the _Executor_ and broke into the room in which we were hiding. I got badly hurt and apparently, from what I have heard (since I got knocked out I can't give you an eyewitness account) Vader simply… _lost it._"

"He did," Jifo continued for Kobayashi. "He did just lose it. The entire fleet felt it. Even the _Rebels_ felt it. He grew furious and panicked and started slaughtering any Rebel he could find. I ran off to find him because I had a sneaking suspicion that what everyone was feeling was coming from him. When I found him, he was in the medical wing just… just _slaughtering_ those soldiers. I was scared he would kill _me_ too. I managed to snap him out of it but he wasn't the same for days…"

"You weren't the only ones to feel it," Kenobi muttered. "_I_ felt it. That's what made me decide to find the cause of it."

"_You_ sensed it?" Zhymmia gaped.

"Yes," Kenobi answered. "And if I did, then there is a large possibility that the emperor did as well."

"What?"

"Just a suspicion," Kenobi shrugged. "After all, the reason you felt his emotional backlash was because of your connection to him."

"Our… we have a connection?" Numel sounded bewildered. "Wait, wait just a minute. Start from the beginning with your Jedi mumbo jumbo. How do we have a connection? Why do we feel when he's angry or upset? We're not Jedi!"

"No, you're not," Kenobi replied. Kobayashi could have sworn he heard him mutter _thank the Force for that_. "However, if someone develops a connection with a Jedi or Sith, they can sense the person's emotions if all the emotional barriers are let down."

"What emotional barriers?" Carh'la asked.

"You see, someone like Vader would have a great deal of emotional barriers to keep himself in check. These barriers would allow him to hide his emotions from others to avoid attention. With a person like Vader, who is extremely powerful in the Force, anyone who has been in contact with him long enough would feel it. You all are from his squadron. You get saturated with his emotions constantly. Spending so much time with him and risking your lives alongside him in battle develops a certain type of Force connection. With that in mind, if Vader were to ever lower his barriers and grow angry or scared or upset, you would automatically feel the emotions as well. Think of it as an echo of his emotions."

"Can he read minds, too?" Kerrick asked. "Because he didn't even know how to speak when we first ran into him in this state… and yet within a day he knew exactly what we were saying. Is that because of memories or because of something else?"

"It might be a mix of both," Kenobi replied. "Did he ever do anything irregular, such as, perhaps, looking distant or losing concentration?"

"The first night on the _Executor_ he placed a hand to my head and just stared at me for at least ten minutes," Kerrick said earnestly. "And then he could _talk_!"

Kenobi laughed. "Yes, that's a mind reading technique. He went into your mind and watched your memories. He probably replayed them over and over in his mind to understand the meaning of the words used."

"So _that's _what he meant," Kerrick leaned against the wall. "This whole time, whenever we ask where he learned how to talk, he says it was from me!"

Kobayashi watched the exchange with interest and assimilated the new information. Listening to the conversation and watching the interaction made him realize that the Jedi was actually _helping_ them. Could he actually be trustworthy?

Carh'la stepped forward. "We apologize for our treatment of you earlier… we just… didn't know how to react to finding out that you are a Jedi."

"It's quite understandable," Kenobi chuckled. "Had I been in your position I might have done similar."

"But what are we going to do if he remembers?" Ooke asked. "I don't want to have my neck wrung just because I was trying to take care of him!"

"I do not believe you should be concerned about Vader harming you," Kenobi said honestly. "He might be disoriented, ashamed, even angry… but I do not think he would kill you. Even if he tries, _I_ will make sure he does not succeed. Besides, I believe you should be more concerned about the emperor's reaction to all of this."

"We don't even know if he is aware of the situation," Moeema admitted in a far less biting tone than earlier.

"He probably is aware that _something_ is wrong," Kenobi surmised. "After all, Death Squadron has been out of contact with the Empire for four weeks now, has it not?"

"Yes," they all muttered.

Moeema suddenly asked, "Do you know why in the blazes he was trying to get himself killed yesterday? He always does the craziest things! He sneaks onto other ships, runs into the monarchs of Nihoma… he's a wreck! You said he knew you… did you know his mannerisms before… before…"

"Before he became Darth Vader?" The Jedi finished for her. "Yes, I did. He was far different back then."

The Jedi's eyes grew distant as he continued to speak. "The boy back then was always trying to help others. He wanted to save everyone. He was _extremely_ reckless, though. I can see him jumping into the battlefield, flying right into danger…"

"He fought in the Clone Wars?" Kerrick asked in a shocked tone. "But—but he was twenty-two when the war ended!"

"Yes, he was," Kenobi nodded. "He sustained a permanent injury in the Battle of Geonosis when he was nineteen… that was his first battle. The boy fought in many battles during the Clone Wars. Many Jedi met their deaths during that war."

"And many Jedi killed others," Jifo supplied in a dark tone.

"I will not deny that a number of Jedi fell to darkness," Kenobi sighed, suddenly looking very tired. "Vader was among them. That is why he is Darth Vader today."

The room grew thick with tension between the Imperials and the Jedi. Seeking to ease the mood, Kobayashi said, "Well, that's the past. Besides, we have more to worry about now… but this is a vacation, guys, so let's just relax, okay?"

Most of the Imperials let out a snort of laughter. "Typical Koby: relax first, worry later."

* * *

Obi-Wan hadn't felt anything so comfortable in years. Tatooine didn't provide much comfort, after all, and the Jedi Temple was cozy but not luxurious. Obi-Wan had never sought luxury…

But _Force_ this was nice.

He was lying on his bed in the bedroom he shared with Numel, Shiine, and Kobayashi. The room next door held Anakin, Jifo, Rowan, and Kerrick. After them was the women's room. Ooke and Marrax had a room of their own. The rooms all looked the same: warm and cozy. Obi-Wan hadn't been anywhere so nice in what seemed decades.

After yesterday's heated conversation before breakfast, everyone had decided to lounge around the house to calm down for a while. Today they were going to swim in the lake. For once, Obi-Wan had no qualms with the vacation; it was much needed for all of them. He was just worried how Anakin would react; the boy had been in a bad state yesterday.

His worries were what had awoken him at five in the morning when the rest of his roommates were snoring in their beds. Sighing, he got out of bed and put a robe over his sleeping tunic and pants, washing away the traces of sleep with cold water. He then walked to the room next door, sliding the wooden door open and slowly walking towards Anakin's bed, which was closest to the balcony.

When he got close to the bed, he saw that the boy was sleeping peacefully. He turned to walk away when he heard "Kichita?"

Restraining a sigh, he turned to see the boy watching him with half-open eyes.

"Go back to sleep," he whispered softly, sending soothing waves through the Force as he had yesterday morning.

The boy yawned and then settled into his bed more comfortably, heeding Obi-Wan's advice for once.

A few hours later, Obi-Wan was standing in the kitchen drinking a glass of water when he sensed the boy approach him from behind. "What is it, little one?"

"… Kichita… is… is my—my name Anakin?"

Obi-Wan spat out the mouthful of water he had and then went into a coughing fit. He felt Anakin patting his back.

"Is my name Anakin?"

Obi-Wan finally managed to catch his breath and then looked at the boy. He looked a little tired, but he still had that innocent twinkle in his eye. He was just curious. The name must have appeared in a dream of some sort. "…Well… yes, it is."

Anakin smiled and then hugged Obi-Wan. "I knew it! I _knew_ it was I kept hearing it over and over again last night! I knew it! I knew it I knew it!"

Obi-Wan awkwardly wrapped an arm around the boy in order to calm him. "Are you feeling up to swimming, Anakin?"

Using the boy's name brought tears to his eyes, but he blinked them away.

Anakin gasped in excitement. "Yes!"

The boy ran out of the room and straight outside. Obi-Wan blinked for a few moments before shouting, "Wait, no Anakin, don't swim in your _nightclothes_!!"

* * *

**The results for the most recent poll are up on my profile. Please review!**


	25. Nooks

**Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! They inspire me to write more!**

* * *

Zhymmia gave a scream of delight as she dove into the lake alongside Shiine. The water was a crystal clear blue, allowing Shiine to see all of the others swimming in the deeper area up ahead.

It was eight o'clock in the morning and the sun was just beginning to peak over the tall mountains. The water was freezing, but Shiine didn't care.

On the banks sat Obi-Wan Kenobi, smiling contently with Vader sitting beside him. The boy had attempted to go swimming in his nightclothes and had earned a "penalty" from the Jedi. Also, the water was too cold for him to swim in just yet. Shiine could see the yearning in the boy's eyes.

Up ahead in the deep end, Kobayashi was on top of Kerrick's shoulders and trying to knock Ooke off of Rowan's shoulders. Shiine laughed and swam over to watch alongside the others.

"So what are we going to do today?" Carh'la asked the others while Kobayashi and Ooke started poking each other and Rowan and Kerrick spluttered from the water being sloshed about their faces.

"Well, I say we swim until lunch and then go exploring," Numel suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea to me," Shiine agreed.

Kobayashi gave a yell of triumph as he defeated Ooke. "Who shall dare challenge me next?"

Ooke resurfaced from being thrown under the water by Kobayashi. He had a sour look of defeat.

"How about Zhymmia?" Shiine said to Kobayashi.

"Perfect!" Kobayashi smacked his hands together.

Zhymmia laughed and swam over, climbing atop of Rowan's shoulders. The two then began pushing and shoving and everyone watched and laughed all over again.

The roughhousing and swimming continued for about two more hours before Moeema called over to the Jedi and said Vader could enter.

Vader gave a shout of glee and nearly flew into the water, followed by Master Kenobi.

Moeema swam over to Shiine. "I noticed that you were rather defensive over the Jedi yesterday, Shiine."

"I noticed that you were rather offensive towards him," Shiine shot back.

"I'm not accusing you of anything," Moeema replied. "I know I was out of line yesterday. I tend to get aggressive when the ones I care about are hurt. I just want to know why you were so adamant about helping him."

Shiine sighed. "I owe the Jedi."

"You _owe_ them?"

"Yes," Shiine nodded. "I've never told anyone except Kobayashi, and that was only because he saw me looking at the hologram of my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"I _had_ a sister. A twin sister, in fact,"

"What… what happened?"

Shiine closed his eyes. "She died during the Clone Wars. She went to Ryloth to adopt a Twi'lek youngling and that's when the Separatists invaded. The town she was in, Resdin, was bombed to make a statement."

"Oh, Force," Moeema whispered. "I'm so sorry, Shiine. I didn't know."

"It's alright," Shiine shrugged. "You didn't know. Anyway, I owe the Jedi because they avenged her for me. I had enlisted in order to do it myself, but I had only fought one battle and then the Republic was gone, along with the Jedi. I… I continued with the Imperial Navy because I look at the Empire as a modification of the Republic rather than a new system altogether… but I don't see why the Jedi were eliminated. Some of them were good people, Moeema… like the Jedi who liberated Ryloth."

"I remember reading about that," Moeema said. "It was on a HoloNet report on a Satunda afternoon. I was sitting on the couch with the younglings when I saw it. I… I think Master Kenobi was one of the Jedi who led the attack!"

"Kenobi? Really?" Shiine immediately looked at the Jedi, who was laughing and playing with Vader.

"Yes, yes, he was," Moeema said thoughtfully, nodding slowly. "There was the spatial attack first… that was led by Jedi Knight Skywalker. Then there was the landing, which was led by Jedi Master Kenobi, and then Jedi Master Windu took the capital."

Shiine once again directed his attention to the Jedi and the boy.

"Stop it, Kichita!" Vader laughed as Master Kenobi splashed him.

"Little One, are you having fun?" Moeema called to the boy.

"My name's not Little One!" the boy replied excitedly.

"Oh, it's not?" Moeema asked, laughing. "Then what is it?"

"It's Anakin!"

Shiine and Moeema's laughter ceased. The two had thought he was joking! _"Anakin?"_

"As in Anakin _Skywalker_?" Shiine blurted… or at least he tried to until Kobayashi toppled off Kerrick's shoulders and sent a bunch of water down Shiine's throat.

"Yep, my name's Anakin!" the boy nodded. "Even Kichita says it's true!"

Shiine was coughing and gagging while Moeema was merely gaping. Kobayashi spat some water when he resurfaced.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing," Master Kenobi said hastily. "I'll explain later."

* * *

He somewhat regretted telling the Imperials Vader's true identity, but nothing could be done about it. The boy had been blurting his real name ever since he remembered it. All of them made sure he wouldn't say it to anyone else, though.

So now they were climbing the mountains to get a better view of Changying. Obi-Wan was climbing alongside Anakin, making sure the boy didn't tire. They were in the center of the group.

"That lunch you made was incredible, Ben," Kobayashi said from above, making sure to use Obi-Wan's "nickname" so Anakin wouldn't grow panicked or confused again. "Where did you learn to cook so well?"

"All Jedi are taught basic cooking skills in order to survive," Obi-Wan replied.

"What's a Jedi?" Anakin asked.

"Nothing," they all said together.

Anakin grumbled and the climbing continued.

When they finally reached the top, Obi-Wan was just as awed as the others. Tall, lush mountains stretched as far as the eye could see. When Obi-Wan looked down into the small depressions in the mountains he could see rivers and streams. Everything was painted deep green, dusty brown, and crystal blue. Songs from birds filled Obi-Wan's ears and the air was amazingly crisp.

Taking in a lungful of mountain air, Obi-Wan closed his eyes and smiled contently.

He felt a hand grab his arm excitedly. "Kichita, look!"

Obi-Wan opened his eyes and followed Anakin's finger, which was pointing to a small clearing in the trees off in the distance. Obi-Wan could vaguely make out a small lake.

Kobayashi squinted and also saw what Anakin was showing. "Ah, that's Bul-san, Anakin. It's a hot spring."

"That's Bul-san?" Anakin looked at it before laughing. "So when do we get to go?"

"Well I suppose we can go tomorrow," Kobayashi shrugged.

"Where else are we going today?"

"How about over there?" Numel suggested, pointing to another clearing in the mountains. "What's that?"

"That's _Isao_," Kobayashi answered. "It's a jib chuuno."

"Jib chuuno… isn't that a training dojo?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes,"

Obi-Wan examined the area from his vantage point. He saw three large Nihoman-style buildings and then a small Nihoman house to the right of them. A garden was just behind all of those buildings, along with a large smooth wooden platform. When he looked intently he saw people fighting each other with wooden swords using a certain Nihoman fighting style.

"Come on," Kobayashi started to walk across the rocky terrain. "I can take you to the dojo if you like."

"How about we circle around the mountain and then go back to the retreat?" Moeema said. "I think that should be enough excitement for all of us. Then we can go to Bul-san and Isao tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me," Numel agreed.

Everyone else nodded in accordance and Kobayashi led them into a more forested section of the mountain.

The trees were monstrous. Their trunks were wide enough so that Anakin, Obi-Wan, Kobayashi, and Kerrick could all lean against one side of it. They reached so high they seemed to be as tall as the skyscrapers on Coruscant. All around him he could hear birds and animals jumping or flying from one branch to another.

"Nihoma is truly a beautiful world," Obi-Wan commented to Kobayashi.

"We take great pride in our natural wonders," Kobayashi conceded with a smile. "That is why we have laws to conserve areas just like Changying."

"Just out of curiosity, but how did you manage to ride that nook?" Kobayashi then asked. "She was clearly wild."

"How could you tell?" Kerrick asked. "I could see no difference between her and Minh."

"Speaking of Minh, where is he?" Zhymmia also inquired.

"Minh is lounging around somewhere in the mountains," Kobayashi answered. "I think it would benefit you all if explained our relation to the nooks.

"Despite popular belief, we do not _domesticate_ nooks. We call it a taming ceremony when we bond with a nook, but they're never truly tame. We have never viewed nooks as wild mindless creatures to be domesticated. Nooks are extremely intelligent beings and we respect them for that. I wouldn't go so far as to say they're sentient, but they're close. They are our symbol of our world. They have honor, pride, courage, and wild beauty. We highly respect nooks.

"Nooks in the wild live in mountains just like these. In fact, Changying has one of the highest concentrations of nooks. They travel in packs called _gajok._ In the gajok, there is a _nook-sama_, which literally translates to _honorable dragon_; in other words, an alpha nook. Since the females, called nook-nami, are more aggressive than the males, nook-moko, any gajok that had a fully matured nook-nami automatically made her the nook-sama.

"Wild nooks are dangerous and quite deadly, but only if you provoke them. It's a common misconception that they immediately attack you upon sight. However, let me warn you that if you get close to them, their territory, or their young, you are not going to have a very pleasant day.

"A taming ceremony, called a _nook katashi_ in Nihoman, is a tradition that one must do at age thirty. It has mostly fallen out of practice among those who live in the large cities, but about eighty-five percent of the population still does it.

"Despite its name, we do not seek to pacify and tame a dragon. The ceremony starts a day after your life-day. You travel out into wild terrain, just like Changying for instance, and stay at a special house where a _mikio_ lives.

"A mikio is a respected man or woman who lives amongst the nooks. While he or she does not actually travel with the nooks, the mikio lives in the center of a nook's territory. The mikio is respected by the nooks, which means he or she is respected by us.

"The participant in the ceremony stays two days at the house of the mikio. The days are spent in meditation to prepare him or her for the encounter with the nooks. When the two days are expired, the person leaves the house and enters into the untamed wilderness. The person then sounds a call named _Kakegoe Nook_.

"_Kakegoe Nook_ is a loud nook cry that members of a gajok sound out to each other. Each call is unique to the nook that sounds it. This also is true for each Nihoman who sounds the call. The reason for this is because the call itself is extremely specific. You have to make a specific vowel in your mouth to give the sound, but a Nihoman can never make the exact sound. It is close enough, but it varies vastly between people. In nooks themselves, their subtle differences are done to identify each other. The differences are in the pitch, volume, and tone.

"A Nihoman person learns this call when he or she is fifteen. It is learned in another ceremony called by the same title. It symbolizes that the person is halfway to the taming ceremony.

"When the person makes the _Kakegoe Nook_, every nook in the area will hear it and answer. The nooks will begin to circle all around the person, calling out to each other and the participant. The participant must continue to call back. The nooks will know the person is not part of their gajok, so many of them will leave. However, there is a large possibility that a nook will become interested in the person and will land. Since the person is making a nook cry, it will not immediately attack.

"The person then stands very still as the nook inspects him or her. Most of the time this is done by growling, sniffing, and opening the mouth and snarling. Nooks constantly test each other member in the gajok this way. This is the first test, called the _Lei_. The Lei is the nook's testing of the person's courage. If the person does not waver, the nook then tests the person's loyalty. This is the second test, called the _Boqin_. In the Boqin the nook begins to roar the aggressive cry and extends its claws towards the person. If the person tries to attack the nook, they will either be killed or the nook will leave, depending its temperament. If the person does not react and remains faithful to the nook, not attacking at all but obediently waiting for whatever is to come, the nook will calm itself.

"The Boqin is where many injuries occur. A nook's temperament varies greatly, particularly with gender. A nook-nami is far more aggressive and hard to read. One can think she is just testing him and then she suddenly attacks. A nook-moko is far easier to understand, which is why many people tame male nooks."

"If the nook chooses you, how is it people choose to tame male nooks instead?" Carh'la asked.

"It depends on the area you chose to look for nooks." Kobayashi answered. "In Changying, there are more female nooks than males, but in other areas males have a higher population, many a time because the females get into deadly fights with each other over territory and being the nook-sama.

"Now, if the person passes the Boqin, the nook does one final test by flying away and sounding the _Kakegoe Nook_. The person has to respond and follow the nook as far as possible. I have heard that many nooks lead their followers to the edge of a cliff and see if the person actually jumps to get to them. It is very rare, but when it happens, over half of the people don't go through with it, and I can't really blame them, because you still aren't sure if the nook accepts you or is just playing with you.

"This final test is called the _Honghui_. Those who pass this test become a _tengfei deshi_ if it is a male nook who accepted them or a _longwei deshi_ if it is a female nook. This is the second stage of the taming ceremony.

"The nook that accepted the person then takes the person to its gajok. If the nook-sama accepts the person, then the person becomes a full-fledged _longwei_ or _tengfei_ and flies the nook back to his or her home.

"In the olden days people would live or die by the results of the taming ceremony. If a nook did not choose a person, they were considered not worthy to live and would perform a ritualistic suicide. If a nook attacked a person, they were not to defend themselves. Nowadays, the tradition is far more lenient. If a nook attacks, you _are_ entitled to defend yourself. Many a time the mikio comes to your aid as well."

"Wow," Jifo blinked. "That's some ceremony."

"Indeed," Obi-Wan agreed.

"Yes, and it creates a mutual respect between the person and the nook," Kobayashi nodded. "Minh is a perfect example. He lounges around in the royal stable but he is allowed to go whenever he wishes. It is out of respect and mutual friendship that he remains and helps my brother. Only out of respect for my brother does he fly for me. That is why I had to take something of my brother's and present it to Minh before we left."

"Isn't it true that chuuno kill nooks?" Shiine asked.

"Yes, it is," Kobayashi answered. "They are the only ones allowed to do so and it is only in their special coming of age ceremony. They must kill one and only one nook in order to prove their worthiness as warriors. Many a time the nook is selected by its own nook-sama."

"Wait, nooks take part in the ceremony?" Rowan sounded bewildered.

"They do," Kobayashi confirmed. "A mikio approaches the nooks' gajok and the nook-sama selects a nook to fight the warrior. If the warrior kills the nook sent then the gajok departs. If the nook kills the warrior, the mikio leaves and the warrior is devoured. Warriors are the only people on Nihoma who cannot go through a taming ceremony."

"That makes me glad I'm not a warrior," Jifo quickly said.

Kobayashi laughed. "Yes, there aren't many out there who choose the path of a chuuno, but those who do and survive are hailed for their strength and courage. It stays with them forever. Women who are chuuno wear a nook-tooth headdress and men use their scales as armor."

"So how could you tell the difference between a "tame" nook and a wild one?" Marrax inquired.

"You said something about her horns," Obi-Wan prompted.

Kobayashi smiled. "When a nook is newly tamed, just after flying its new partner back to his or her home, the person files down the nook's horns slightly in order to prevent injury. Wild nooks' horns are far longer and sharper than tame ones."

"Don't the nooks mind?" Ooke asked.

"In the beginning they're a little irritable because of it," Kobayashi admitted. "But a wild nook naturally files down its horns while a tame one doesn't have that luxury most of the time. Eventually the nook grows accustomed to the practice. With nook-nami, people often tie decorative bead necklaces to their horns."

"So… since we're on vacation, Minh is on vacation, too?" Numel ascertained.

"Exactly,"

"But then how are we going to find him when we need to leave?"

"You sound the _Kakegoe Nook_. That cry is used to identify each other. Nooks have extremely good hearing, so Minh will hear me when I call for him. He is familiar with my cry."

"Fascinating," Shiine muttered.

Obi-Wan enjoyed the conversation until he sensed a wild presence nearby. He stopped walking along with Anakin, and everyone else noticed.

"What's wrong?" Moeema asked.

"Something's nearby," Obi-Wan said softly.

Suddenly a deafening ear-splitting shriek was heard to their left and an incredibly strong gust of wind nearly knocked everyone off their feet. A set of blue wings were seen and then a nook-nami suddenly appeared. She growled and looked at them, her yellowish eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Nobody move," Kobayashi instructed in a strained tone.

The dragon sniffed around them and opened her mouth dangerously and let out a roar loud enough to leave Obi-Wan's ears ringing. The roar was the same shriek as earlier.

"What does that mean?" Obi-Wan whispered.

"That's a warning cry," Kobayashi yelled. "Let's get out of here!"

Everyone scrambled and tripped over themselves to follow Kobayashi. Obi-Wan hazarded a glance back at the dragon to see her watching them and snarling but not pursuing.

They ran up and down slopes and between humungous trees until they reached the edge of a cliff and saw a large lake. They were back at the lake retreat.

"Thank the Force," Obi-Wan muttered, gasping for air.

"You weren't joking when you said the females are more aggressive!" Numel panted.

"Is everyone still in one piece?" Carh'la asked the group. Everyone muttered in reply.

Moeema suddenly jerked into a stiff standing position. "Where's Little One?"

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan looked around wildly, only to see that Anakin was nowhere to be found. "Stars' end,"

The group ran back as fast as they could. Kobayashi led them on the same path they had run just minutes ago. Trees passed by in a flash as Obi-Wan used the Force to increase his speed. Why, oh _why_, did Anakin have to be so _impulsive_?

Obi-Wan reached the area where the dragon had been and searched around frantically. "Anakin! Anakin!"

He heard laughter to his right and a roar. "Ah, blast,"

Kobayashi and the others finally arrived, wheezing.

"That's not a good roar to hear while we're around," Kobayashi said between gasps.

"Why is that?" Obi-Wan asked.

"That's the _Kakegoe Nook_," Kobayashi explained. "And I believe she's calling all of her gajok to this spot."

"Oh, _wonderful_," Obi-Wan groaned. "Anakin, where _are _you?"

His question was answered when he saw another female dragon enter the area once again. Anakin was sitting on her head.

"What—Anakin get _down_!" Obi-Wan yelled.

"But she says I can do it," Anakin pouted.

"Who says that?"

Anakin patted the dragon's head.

Obi-Wan sighed when he suddenly paused and took a second glance at the dragon. "Wait, you're the dragon I flew here!"

The dragon looked at him for a moment before covering him with saliva after a nice big wet tongue licked his entire body.

The first female dragon that had threatened them earlier walked into the small clearing, glaring at them viciously. Obi-Wan suddenly had an idea and looked at Anakin, who nodded encouragingly.

Using the Force, Obi-Wan managed to calm her down.

This was when he finally realized _why_ Anakin had tamed his dragon so quickly. Blast, these dragons were Force sensitive! No wonder they were so intelligent!

That also explained the dragons' liking for Anakin and Obi-Wan specifically.

"Anakin, get down from there, the others might get hurt!" he said.

Anakin immediately leapt off the dragon's head. "Why?"

"Uh…" Jifo pointed wordlessly in horror as the larger dragon—the one who had threatened them earlier—reared her head back to bite.

"_Run!"_

The group immediately sought refuge in the thickly forested area once more, though the trees were so large they were spaced well enough to let a dragon pass between them. However, the dragon did not pursue them. She merely let out her warning cry once more and then flew away.

"I suppose that's her territory," Obi-Wan said in a conversational tone.

"You'd better kriffing believe it!" Kobayashi yelled back as they frantically rushed back to the retreat and inside the retreat, needlessly slamming the door shut behind them.

Sighing, Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin's arm and led him to his bed. "Sleep. Now."

Anakin grudgingly complied, muttering, "Spoilsport,"

Obi-Wan left the room as Anakin's roommates filed in. He then went to his own room and collapsed on the bed.

What a day.

* * *

**Please review!**


	26. The Awakening

**Don't forget to vote on the poll on my profile!**

* * *

A soft wind blew in through the open doors to the balcony. Carh'la yawned but didn't open her eyes. She was too tired and sore from running her legs until they couldn't move yesterday. She was too emotionally tired from being scared that she would get herself eaten, then that _Vader_ would get eaten, and then that they would _all_ get eaten!

Since she was lying in bed with nothing to do, she thought it was time to give some thought to Vader's name. He had claimed that his real name was Anakin. The automatic connection everyone made was that he was Anakin Skywalker. Carh'la had found that extremely difficult to believe at first.

Anakin Skywalker had been the mighty Hero With no Fear. He had been her children's hero alongside Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Negotiator. The two had been the strongest Jedi during the Clone Wars. They were also the most inseparable Jedi. There were many times when Carh'la had thought they couldn't possibly get to a situation on time, such as when the Separatists invaded Coruscant and kidnapped the chancellor. Carh'la's younglings, despite being young adults by then, had been insistent that Kenobi and Skywalker would save the day. Carh'la hadn't been so sure. Nevertheless, in the end, Kenobi and Skywalker had rescued the chancellor and proven her younglings right once again.

Even Carh'la had had her doubts when Palpatine claimed that _all_ of the Jedi were traitors. She had hoped that at least Kenobi and Skywalker were innocent. It had been reported that Skywalker was actually killed by a fellow Jedi while trying to protect the chancellor from assassination. Kenobi was said to have been killed during the Battle of Utapau after defeating General Grievous.

As hard as it was to believe that they were traitors, it was harder to believe that one of them became Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker was many things but he was never a murderer. What had _happened_?

Moeema stirred and awoke, snapping Carh'la out of her ruminations.

"Good morning," Moeema slurred in her general direction.

Carh'la smiled. "Good morning, Moeema. Are you sore, too?"

"Yes," Moeema moaned. "What about Zhymmia?"

"I think she's still fast asleep," Carh'la chuckled.

"Well we'd better wake her up," Moeema muttered. "Because I think I can hear the men starting to drag their feet around,"

Carh'la grunted in agreement and got out of bed, moaning softly at the stiffness of her muscles. She walked over to Zhymmia and shook her awake and then three women dressed and went down to breakfast.

Master Kenobi brought out a magnificent meal and they all ate in relative silence.

"Oh, I can't wait to go to that hot spring," Kerrick said as they walked outside after eating. "I'm sore all over from yesterday."

"Me too," Carh'la agreed.

Kobayashi stretched and then motioned for them to stop. "Wait here, guys, I've got bring some stuff out."

"Bring what?" Moeema asked.

"Just wait,"

Kobayashi entered the retreat once more just as Master Kenobi led a tired-looking Vader—no, _Anakin_—out of the building.

"Good morning Anakin," Carh'la said with a smile.

"Hi Carh'la," Anakin smiled in return, though it was a little strained from sleepiness.

Kobayashi then returned, hauling four wooden buckets with him.

"What… are you doing?" Jifo asked hesitantly.

"You all are going to need these when we go to Bul-san," Kobayashi explained as he brought more buckets.

The buckets were made of wooden planks about a third of a meter tall. The planks were tied together by a strap close to the rim and close to the bottom. Inside each bucket was a towel, a sponge, and a bar of soap.

Kobayashi handed each person a bucket and then he led them away from the retreat. They walked for a short while before reaching a large flat area where there were many trees.

"Be careful here," Kobayashi warned. "This place is known to house many nooks."

"Like yesterday?" Ooke reminded him.

"Not quite as bad, I hope," Kobayashi smiled sheepishly.

"Why was that dragon attacking us?" Carh'la asked.

"The high cry she gave meant we were in her territory."

They walked in silence for a while longer before Kobayashi said, "We're nearing the hot spring. I have to tell you a few things about basic hot spring etiquette. Since this is a wild spring, people normally use it to bathe. To keep it clean, people use the wooden buckets I handed you. They fill the buckets with water and then sponge-bathe themselves. Then, _after_ rinsing themselves and cleaning themselves, they soak and relax in the hot spring. It's a way to keep the water clean."

"Wait, we _bathe_ here?" Zhymmia asked.

"Yes," Kobayashi nodded. "Relax; Bul-san has a natural barrier in the center. You ladies can be on one end and we'll be on the other."

Soon after his statement, they reached the hot spring. It was large and surrounded by lush greenery. Just as Kobayashi had said, there was a wall of rocks dividing the hot spring in half. Steam was everywhere and the water was baby blue.

Carh'la, Moeema, and Zhymmia quickly went to their side of the hot spring.

"This is going to be nice," Zhymmia said with excitement as she looked at the water.

* * *

Obi-Wan scrubbed himself with the sponge alongside the other men as they basked in the warmth the steam allowed them. Anakin was rinsing the soap off his body. Kobayashi had already entered the hot spring, swimming about until he found a comfortable seat.

Anakin quickly joined Kobayashi, along with Ooke and Jifo. Numel and Marrax soon entered the water as well. Kerrick, Rowan, Shiine, and Obi-Wan took their time, but were soon in the water as well.

The warmth threatened to put him to sleep right there. He could feel his muscles relaxing in the soothing heat.

"Force, this is nice…" Shiine muttered.

Obi-Wan heard the women swimming around in the water on their end and then saw Carh'la peek over one of the rocks. "How are you men faring?"

"Carh'la, do you mind?" Kerrick said, embarrassed.

Carh'la laughed. "I'm married, sweetheart, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Besides, you're under water."

Obi-Wan knew he was halfway under the water, but he still felt the need to go deeper until the water was up to his chin. Anakin didn't seem to mind, though. He just sat where the water only reached his chest. The rest of the men, however, were nearly up to their eyeballs with hot water.

Carh'la only laughed, causing Moeema to come over and peek as well.

"We don't peek on you ladies bathing!" Numel snapped.

Moeema then joined in Carh'la's laughter. "We can't even see anything."

"So," Obi-Wan quickly said to change the subject. "What made you join the Imperial Navy, Numel?"

Numel blinked and then shrugged. "I lived on Imperial Center with my father. I never knew my mother. I was tired of being stuck on the same planet and I couldn't afford to get off, so I enlisted."

"I'm assuming that your father wasn't very helpful in your career," Obi-Wan surmised.

"You could say that," Numel responded. "We didn't live in the greatest of districts."

"That explains your affinity to treat women poorly," Moeema said. "I'm guessing you were surrounded by prostitutes and other such women of the night."

"Basically," Numel laughed.

"That doesn't excuse you treating _us_ like that," Zhymmia said from the other pool.

Numel blushed and said nothing.

"How about you, Rowan?" Obi-Wan offered. "Why did you join?"

"I had already served in the Republic's navy," Rowan said lightly. "I just decided to remain with the Imperial Navy. In fact, I served under _you_ once."

"You… you did?" Obi-Wan blinked. "Well that explains why you recognized me. When did you serve under me? I'm afraid my memory is failing me."

"It's quite alright," Rowan waved a hand dismissively. "I served under you in the Open Circle Fleet. I was a lieutenant."

"I met my wife in the Imperial Academy," Marrax said. "She didn't make it through. She was a bloody genius… I'm guessing it was just because she was a woman. Either way, we married and now she's expecting a baby boy."

"Congratulations," Obi-Wan said warmly. "Have you decided on a name?"

Marrax smiled. "No, not yet,"

"My father served under you," Kerrick stated. "You and… um…"

Kerrick tossed an awkward glance in Anakin's direction. Anakin, however, was oblivious. He was just relaxing in the water, his eyes closed. Obi-Wan caught Kerrick's meaning.

"I see," he nodded. "I'm afraid I can't remember any of this."

"I can see why," Carh'la commented. "If I were you, I would have blocked it out of my mind because of the trauma."

Jifo remained silent, watching Anakin nervously.

"Ji, is something wrong?" Kobayashi asked.

Jifo whispered, "It's about Anakin. He's been awfully quiet."

"He's probably just tired," Shiine yawned. "I know I am."

"It's not just today," Jifo shook his head. "He was quiet yesterday, too."

"You call that racket he made when he was playing with Master Kenobi quiet?" Kerrick chuckled.

"I mean after we went swimming," Jifo insisted. "Besides the fiasco with the dragon, he was calmer than normal. And now he won't even talk,"

"Jifo, I think you're acting a little paranoid," Rowan said seriously. "Just relax; that is why we're here."

Obi-Wan watched the exchange with mild curiosity before swimming over to Anakin. "Are you tired?"

Anakin flinched and then looked at Obi-Wan with half-closed eyes. "A little,"

"Did you sleep well last night?"

"No,"

"You didn't?" Obi-Wan repeated in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing,"

"Whew," Ooke sighed, interrupting the conversation. "I could bask in this all day."

"I wish shore leave was longer than two weeks," Numel admitted.

"I think we all do at this point," Moeema stated.

"How much longer do you have until you return to your squadron?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Shore leave is two weeks," Kobayashi answered. "And we've been here for about six days, so we've got four left,"

"Only four days…" Ooke moaned. "I wish we could stay so much longer,"

Rowan shrugged. "Nothing lasts forever, Ooke,"

Carh'la and Moeema agreed and then vanished behind the rock barrier. Obi-Wan heard them talking with Zhymmia. The men began to have a conversation over many different things, from families to duties to monotone subjects such as the weather.

Three hours passed by without any of them noticing. Obi-Wan didn't even realize so much time had come and gone until he saw the sun directly overhead in the sky. A dragon roared off in the distance, causing all conversation to stop, but Kobayashi assured them that Bul-san was not on any nook's territory.

"Kichita, they're close by," Anakin said.

"What?" Obi-Wan and the others all focused on the boy. "The dragons are close by?"

"Kichita, they're _close_!" Anakin sounded a little panicked.

"Anakin, relax," Obi-Wan put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

Anakin shuddered and then submerged himself entirely under the water.

"What's wrong with him?" Moeema asked worriedly, peeking over the rocks once more.

"We don't know—hey, Moeema, stop being a pervert!" Ooke yelled.

Zhymmia laughed from the other side. "I'm surprised Numel hasn't tried to look over here,"

"I believe he's not that foolish," Obi-Wan joked. "He knows you would drown him if he did so."

"Anakin, come out already!" Kerrick said.

Anakin resurfaced, shaking his head and then laughing. Everyone heaved a collective sigh.

"Don't scare us like that," Moeema chastised.

"Sorry," Anakin shrugged sheepishly.

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes and then the separate conversations resumed. They actually remained there until dusk, much to everyone's surprise.

"Has it really been a whole day?" Kobayashi asked no one in particular. "We had better be heading back towards the lake retreat. It takes half an hour to get there."

The men all began to towel themselves dry and then got dressed. The women did similar and they met at the edge of the hot spring before Kobayashi led them back towards the lake retreat. They started to follow a river, which Kobayashi identified as the Mizu River that led to Lake Shui, the lake that bordered the retreat.

They arrived at the retreat just as the sun was giving its last light to the sky for the day. Everyone went to their respective rooms.

Obi-Wan sat on the balcony and meditated while his roommates talked amongst themselves in the room. The cool night air was refreshing after soaking in a hot spring all day. Obi-Wan felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. This vacation was helping him quite a bit.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan sensed anguish and terror. Opening his eyes, he looked around before looking straight down to see Anakin standing by the lake shore. He was staring into his reflection. It looked like he was twitching.

"Anakin…?" Obi-Wan whispered.

The Imperials inside were unaware of Anakin's odd actions until he let out a blood-curdling yell of pain.

* * *

Anakin followed Kobayashi back to the lake retreat alongside Kichita. He had been having bad dreams lately. They had always been there but it was getting worse now. Most of the time it would be frightening images of dead bodies or of fire and then he would hear screams.

When they arrived at the retreat, everyone went inside except for Anakin. He stood by the lake shore and stared into his reflection. What was wrong with him? Why did he continuously have nightmares?

A memory nagged him and he accessed it.

"_My name's not Little One!" Anakin laughed happily._

"_Oh, it's not? Then what is it?"_

"_It's Anakin!"_

_Moeema and Shiine gaped at him. Did he say something wrong?_

"Anakin?"_ They both shouted._

"_As in Anakin _Sk_—" Shiine was about to say something but he got a mouthful of water and was shoved under when Kobayashi fell._

What was he going to say? Anakin Sk-something. Anakin Sk… Sky? Anakin Sky? Anakin Star? No… no… it—it was…

_"Step forward, Padawan. Anakin Skywalker, by the right of the Council, by the will of the Force, I dub thee, Jedi Knight of the Republic."_

Anakin _Skywalker_…

"_You're a slave?"_

"_I'm a _person_ and my name is Anakin."_

_Skywalker_…

"_General Skywalker, we have arrived at Ryloth."_

"_Very good, Rex. Let's begin."_

_Jedi Knight…_

"_You were the chosen one!"_

Anakin's eyes widened in horror.

"_Henceforth you shall be known as Darth… Vader."_

_NO!_

Memories flooded his mind, bombarding his senses and his sanity until he could bear it no longer. Falling to his hands and knees, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader, let out a scream of pain.

* * *

Palpatine was brooding in his quarters when he received a transmission from the fleet admiral.

"Sir, our contact on Nihoma has just informed me that Death Squadron is orbiting the planet. Half of the fleet's crew is on the planet's surface. They have the captain of the _Executor_."

"What of Lord Vader's location?" Palpatine asked.

"Unknown, sir," the admiral answered. "It is believed he is on the planet, however."

"Take us to Nihoma immediately,"

"Yes, sir," the admiral bowed. "Estimated time of arrival is one standard day,"

* * *

Kerrick, Jifo, and Rowan scrambled out of their room and outside with the others and froze dead in their tracks. Vader was crumpled on the ground, his eyes squeezed shut, moaning and twitching viciously.

Kerrick approached him slowly when he suddenly twitched horribly and let out another scream. He balled his fists until his left hand began to bleed.

"Little One, talk to me," Kerrick said quickly, immediately running to his side with the other Imperials and Master Kenobi.

Vader didn't say anything. Instead, he continued to moan and twitch.

"Is it the illness?" Zhymmia asked worriedly.

"I… I don't know,"

"Let's get him inside," Moeema ordered.

"Don't touch him," Master Kenobi warned them.

"What?" Kerrick rounded on him. "I thought you were trustworthy; we have to _help_ him!"

"I'm telling you for your own protection," Master Kenobi's tone was dead.

"What are you talking about?" Jifo snapped.

"He's remembering,"

Everyone froze. To emphasize the Jedi's point, Vader screamed even harder.

Kerrick watched the boy with wide eyes, nervously stretching a tentative hand towards him. "Little One…"

"Kerrick, look out!" Carh'la shouted.

Kerrick saw it coming but it was too late. Vader's hand immediately stretched out and smacked Kerrick on the face, sending him flailing to the ground. The boy then leapt to his feet, gasping for air and covered in sweat. His normally blue eyes were red and yellow. His face was contorted with rage and pain.

Vader set his eyes on Master Kenobi. _"You…"_

"Everyone back away," Master Kenobi ordered calmly and quietly.

Carh'la slowly helped Kerrick to his feet and the Imperials obediently did as they were told, too shocked and terrified to do anything else.

Vader watched Kenobi with narrowed hateful eyes. Then, in the blink of an eye, he was gone. Kerrick looked around wildly to see Vader's right fist make contact with Kenobi's right palm. Vader immediately crouched down and swung his left leg at the Jedi's legs, trying to knock him off balance. The Jedi back flipped and landed on the roof of the lake retreat. In an instant, Vader was up there right in front of him.

Kobayashi suddenly placed his hands over his mouth and let out an ungodly roar. It sounded like a rancor mixed with a nexu, except it was a tighter sound. Immediately, Kerrick heard dragons responding to the call.

"What are you doing?" Numel barked.

"Getting help," Kobayashi replied.

A red dragon flew overhead, roaring in a similar way to Kobayashi. Kobayashi responded with the same roar. Was this the Kakegoe Nook?

"Is that _Minh_?" Marrax shouted over the loud wind that began to blow due to the dragon's large wings.

Kobayashi nodded and called again. Minh responded and then flew right over the lake towards them. When Kerrick hazarded a glance at the retreat's roof to see what Kenobi and Vader were doing, he noticed that they were still fighting, completely oblivious to the dragon.

Suddenly, just as Minh was flying by the retreat, Kenobi leapt on top of him. Vader managed to jump on him as well, and the fight continued. Minh flew in circles around the retreat until another dragon, a _female_, appeared, apparently responding to Kobayashi's call with curiosity.

Much to Kerrick's horror, Kenobi leapt over to the female dragon and Vader followed. Kobayashi hadn't noticed and immediately stopped calling to ward the female dragon away.

"No, Koby, don't stop calling to it!" Kerrick shouted but it was too late. The dragon was gone.

* * *

Obi-Wan ran towards the dragon's head in order to get some maneuverability. Anakin was right behind him.

Trying to run against the fierce wind was difficult enough without having to constantly turn around and block a chop towards the back of the head or a kick towards the back.

Obi-Wan finally reached the dragon's head, but had to use the Force to maintain his balance as the dragon continuously moved up and down with the beat of her wings. Anakin flung his arms outward to remain steady. The two watched each other for a moment before Vader screamed in rage and charged forward, leaping into the air and sending a flying kick towards Obi-Wan's jaw. Obi-Wan dodged the attack by twisting to his right and getting behind Anakin, who quickly landed and faced Obi-Wan once more.

The wind tossed them both back onto the dragon's horns and then the fight continued. Obi-Wan stood on the edge of the horn while Anakin ran towards him from the thicker part. He flung his left hand forward, stiff as a board, in a chop to Obi-Wan's neck. Obi-Wan broke the attack by using his right hand to knock Anakin's out of the way, leaving the boy open to attack. Obi-Wan punched him squarely on the nose, making him jump back a little. Blood began to ooze from the wound.

Why, oh Force, why did he have to remember with the violent memories _first_?

Anakin ignored the blood and ran towards Obi-Wan once again. This time, he flipped onto his hands and kicked Obi-Wan in the chest with both feet and then used his chest as a landing platform. Obi-Wan had all the wind knocked out of him and was left gasping for air. Anakin flipped into the air and twisted so he landed facing towards the dragon's head and Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan inhaled a lungful of the mountain air and felt the blood rushing through his veins. Using the Force to maintain his focus and balance, Obi-Wan Force pushed Anakin backwards. The boy tumbled, scraping against the dragon's hard scales the whole way. He grabbed hold of the dragon's right wing and then leapt onto her back, charging towards Obi-Wan at full speed. Obi-Wan leapt down to meet him squarely in the jaw with his right leg.

Anakin fell, his back parallel to the dragon's own back. He then arched his back so his hands could touch the dragon's back. Obi-Wan saw blood trail behind his hands as he bent his arms and then his feet landed once more. Anakin spared no time in catching his breath; the instant his feet were on the dragon's back, he bent his knees and then flung himself towards Obi-Wan. His left hand reach out, fingers spread open. Obi-Wan leaned back to avoid the grapple. Anakin's fingers came together to grab Obi-Wan's neck, but the latter's dodge only allowed the former's fingernails to scrape skin off his neck.

Obi-Wan felt the blood trickle down from multiple scratches. Both combatants were gasping for air in the higher and thinner atmosphere.

Anakin wheezed and then roared. He took a slight step forward with his right foot and crouched low, aiming for Obi-Wan's gut. Obi-Wan tried to parry the fist by breaking his stance, but Anakin still managed to land a hit and they both fell off the dragon.

The wind screamed in Obi-Wan's ears as the dragon they were just riding roared. Below, Obi-Wan could see three more dragons. They were all males. When he looked to his left he saw four more dragons and then young dragons flying nearby. This was a gajok.

Anakin and Obi-Wan both twisted their bodies and leaned right to land on top of another dragon. Only through the Force did Obi-Wan not break any bones from the sudden change in direction and momentum. The dragon they were riding let out a load roar. Anakin's roar joined it and the boy charged forward once again.

Obi-Wan caught his right-handed punch and counterattacked by punching with his left. Anakin caught Obi-Wan's fist, pulled his own right hand back, and then twisted Obi-Wan's wrist, flipping him over. Obi-Wan hit the ground—well, _back_—hard, knocking the wind out of him for the second time.

Leaping to his feet, Obi-Wan swung his left arm towards Anakin's face, but Anakin crouched and went underneath. Anakin stood straight when he was behind Obi-Wan and elbowed the latter in the ribs. Obi-Wan yelled out in pain but didn't stop. He swung his right leg back behind him and kicked Anakin in the neck.

The two twisted at the same time to face each other. Anakin kicked with his right foot and Obi-Wan blocked it with his own kick. Anakin twisted to his left and aimed another kick at Obi-Wan's skull but Obi-Wan blocked it with his wrist.

Anakin charged forward and Obi-Wan pulled the same trick the boy had earlier. He grabbed Anakin's punching hand and flipped him over, making him slam onto the scales. This time, Anakin had a counterattack, though, and he struck at Obi-Wan's ankles, causing the Jedi to fall as well.

The dragon they were riding suddenly took a dive and the two found themselves clinging to the plate-like scales that stood erect in the center of its back. Obi-Wan could see water looming ever closer.

Deciding it was time to leave, Obi-Wan released his grip on the dragon's scale. Anakin then let go as well and the dragon flew ahead. The two tumbled in the air for a short while before Obi-Wan spotted some trees. Using the Force and his body, he managed to twist himself enough to land on one of the higher branches. Anakin landed on a tree just adjacent to his own.

Anakin leapt off his tree and landed on the same branch as Obi-Wan. He aimed a kick at Obi-Wan's jaw, but Obi-Wan brushed it aside with his right arm and punched Anakin with his left. Anakin flipped backwards and then did a split on the branch, his front leg knocking Obi-Wan off balance so the latter fell off the tree.

Catching another branch with his hands, Obi-Wan swung downward to land on the lower branches of the tree. The ground was nowhere to be seen. Above him he heard Anakin jumping to continue the fight.

Gathering the Force around him, Obi-Wan stepped off the branch and fell. He sensed Anakin do the same. The two dodge branches until they used the Force to slow their fall and land easily on the ground.

Anakin jumped against the tree trunk, running on it for two steps before kicking Obi-Wan in the face with his right leg. Obi-Wan fell but just as Anakin approached him he kicked the boy in the chest.

Getting frustrated, Anakin called on the Force and increased his speed. He sent three chops and a kick at Obi-Wan within the blink of an eye. Obi-Wan Force pushed him away, but he managed to land on his feet.

The two watched each other, panting heavily. Obi-Wan could sense Anakin tiring; his illness was making him nauseous. Obi-Wan had to stop this fight. However, Anakin wanted to continue it. The boy used the Force to throw Obi-Wan into the air and then leapt up to join him, punching him squarely in the gut. Obi-Wan folded inward, gasping for air and the two fell back towards the ground. Obi-Wan landed flat on his face and Anakin collapsed after landing safely on his feet.

Obi-Wan coughed up blood and then stood once more. Anakin's breathing grew shallow, but he stood as well.

This wasn't good.

* * *

Ton had been enjoying his vacation thoroughly. He hadn't had to concern himself with insane Sith Lords, ankle-butting droids, disgusting Rebels, failing hyperdrives, or any of the like. He had been spending some quality time with the greatest person of all: himself.

He had taken the third set of shuttles down for shore leave. The shuttles had landed a day ago and he was enjoying every moment of it. The only thing that bothered him was a report from a commander that some of the first half of the crew had not reported back for duty after a week on the planet.

The only way an entire fleet could have two weeks of shore leave was if one half went down for a week while the other maintained the ships. Then the first half would return after a week and would switch with the second half. Ton was part of the second half, but at least twenty did not report back from the first shift.

For once, Ton didn't concern himself with the matter. His commander could handle the issue. He wanted some time to relax. Being captain of the _Executor_ was stressful enough on _normal_ days, let alone out-of-this-galaxy days that seemed to be coming far too often for his liking.

He had just returned from a day spa and was finding himself quite content with his situation. He entered the inn and noticed a clone pacing the lounge restlessly.

"Is something the matter?" Ton asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Yes, sir," the clone responded, immediately saluting upon recognizing him. "I am part of the first shift, sir. I remained behind because a certain lieutenant is missing."

Any relaxation that had been gained during his short time on Nihoma immediately vanished. "What?"

"A great deal of officers are missing, sir," the clone reported.

"What's your service number?" Ton asked, grasping for a familiar concept.

"RE-793, sir," the trooper immediately responded.

"You're the one from the 501st," Ton muttered.

"Yes, sir,"

"Who else is missing?"

"Cdr. Chupa-Pau, Lt. Cdr. Tade, Lt. Cdr. Chelcu, Lt. Cdr. Norhek, Lt. Beillane, Lt. Reukli, Lt. Sanus, Lt. Tunrott, Ens. Mothezsh, Ens. Kenzee, and Ens. Hu, sir,"

"Naturally," Ton shook his head. "When were they last seen?"

"During the Unification Day Parade, sir," RE-793 replied. "They were on a dragon just behind the royal family."

"What were they doing there?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, sir,"

"Wasn't the parade four days ago?"

"Yes, sir,"

"Good Force," Ton muttered in exasperation. "Come with me, trooper. We have to find them."

* * *

"Are you alright, Kerrick?" Kobayashi asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, but we have to find them!" Kerrick responded. "Let's get on Minh and go!"

"I don't think Minh's going anywhere," Moeema said, pointing to the dragon.

Everyone looked to see Minh flying in circles, roaring repeatedly and flailing his head around.

"What's wrong with him?" Zhymmia asked.

"I… I don't know," Kobayashi shook his head. "I think it might be that Force Reaction Kenobi was talking about the other day."

"So it affects animals too?"

"I guess… it affected us, didn't it?"

"Well why isn't it affecting us now?"

"How should I know?"

"Maybe it's because Vader's got control of his mental shields again," Carh'la suggested.

Kerrick shakily got to his feet and they all watched Minh scream out in a high pitch before diving into the lake. Waves of water soaked the Imperials. When Kerrick looked back at the lake, Minh was gone.

"How deep is this lake, anyway?" he gaped.

"Oh, pretty deep," Kobayashi responded shakily.

Off in the distance, numerous roars were heard.

Ooke pointed in the general direction of the sounds. "That way! Let's go!"

The Imperials ran as hard as possible, clambering over rocks, twigs, and brush. They followed the sounds, which were thankfully getting progressively louder, until they had to stop for air.

As they were all doubled over, Jifo suddenly pointed and yelled. "Over there! I see them!"

"Where?"

"On the ground straight ahead!"

Everyone looked forward to see two figures aiming chops, kicks, and punches at each other with precision. The movements were sometimes so fast Kerrick couldn't even follow it.

Suddenly, Vader let out a roar of rage and any mental barriers that he was holding collapsed. Kerrick knew this because he immediately felt the anger eating his insides. The Imperials collapsed, moaning in pain.

Kobayashi barely managed to sit up and cup his hands over his mouth. Kerrick knew what was going to happen next.

Kobayashi sounded the call and in moments, Minh had responded along with about three other dragons. Two of the other dragons flew away. As they did, Kenobi and Vader jumped from tree to tree until they both landed on top of it.

"Minh, come here!" Kobayashi shouted and emitted the roar once again.

Minh roared in return and landed. The dragon that remained circled above them. It was a female. That wasn't promising, but hopefully she would just fly away.

Kobayashi quickly climbed on top of the dragon's head and helped everyone else climb aboard.

"What happened to the howdah?" Rowan asked.

"I took it off days ago," Kobayashi replied. "And it's not as if we have time to retrieve it now."

"Great," Jifo gulped and grabbed onto Minh's scales that were in the center of his back standing upright. Everyone else followed suit.

This was when Kerrick suddenly noticed Moeema, Carh'la, and Zhymmia were covered in duffel bags.

"What in the blazes are you doing?" he asked them.

"We grabbed everyone's stuff before leaving," Carh'la explained as she untangled herself from the straps and handed them out to everyone. "I thought we might need to leave in a hurry."

"Did I happen to mention that you're a genius?" Kerrick laughed in relief as everyone received their duffel bag from the three women.

Jifo pointed to Zhymmia, who was carrying two bags, "To whom does the other bag belong?"

"Kenobi," she replied.

"Does that mean…?"

Zhymmia opened the bag and pulled out a cylindrical object. "Yep, his lightsaber is right here,"

"Just put it away and grab hold of something!" Kobayashi shouted from the front. "We're going after them!"

* * *

Padmé was surprised they had stayed so long, but the festivities of Unification Day lasted a week before the actual holiday until the week after the holiday. Now she was packing to leave tomorrow morning. She hadn't seen or heard from any Imperial since the morning after the ball.

She was planning on going with Bail to Alderaan to see her daughter. Giddiness shot through her as she thought about it. What would Leia think of her? Oh, she couldn't wait to see her beautiful daughter.

It was about twenty-one o'clock. She had best be heading to bed. Sighing, Padmé put her bag aside and collapsed on her large bed. She was still thinking about what had happened at the ball, but Leia took priority now. After all, she couldn't miss an opportunity like this for some fantasy that her husband was, against all logic, still in one piece and lovingly awaiting her return.

* * *

Kobayashi pat Minh on the head and pointed towards the nook-moko off in the distance. "Go after that nook, Minh!"

Minh did as he was told with a roar, flapping his wings ferociously to gain speed. This only lasted for a moment however, seeing as the nook-nami that had remained suddenly snarled and flew towards Minh at full speed.

"Everybody hold on tight!" Kobayashi yelled, grabbing hold of one of Minh's cranial horns.

Minh dove down to avoid a collision with the nook-nami, but she pursued him. Minh then flapped his wings vigorously and began to speed through the air towards the nook where Vader and Kenobi were.

The nook-nami roared and thrust a claw at Minh's tail. Minh roared in rage and tore after her, biting her front right arm.

"What is your dragon _doing_?" Numel shouted.

"This nook-nami seems to think Minh's interfering with her gajok," Kobayashi yelled. "She's trying to fight him to defend her brood! Minh, let's get out of here!"

Minh broke away from the fight but the nook-nami did not back down. She tore after him, claws at the ready.

"Faster, Minh, _faster_!"

* * *

Despite their earlier exhaustion, the two had touched the Force and been rewarded with newfound energy. They were now fighting as ferociously as ever on top of _another_ dragon.

Anakin kneed Obi-Wan in the gut and then kicked him on the jaw when he doubled over in pain. Obi-Wan recovered and kicked Anakin in the center of his back, knocking him down. The boy thrust himself to his feet once more and aimed a kick behind him at Obi-Wan's face, but Obi-Wan dodged it and managed to get a death grip on the boy's ankle. Anakin cried out in pain and his other leg buckled, causing him to collapse and drag Obi-Wan down with him.

All of this happened in two seconds.

The dragon took a sharp turn to the left, forcing Anakin and Obi-Wan to dig their fingers into the scales and cut up their skin even further. The dragon then continued to fly straight ahead. Off in the distance, Obi-Wan could hear another dragon crying out.

He wasn't given much time to ponder upon it since Anakin had already jumped to his feet. Obi-Wan quickly did likewise and the hand-to-hand combat continued. Obi-Wan was very thankful for all the practicing he did over the past five years; Anakin was as deadly as ever.

Anakin whirled and let his torso go parallel with the dragon's back as he threw another kick at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan broke the boy's attack with his own kick. Then he punched forward with his left hand, but Anakin caught it in his palm and landed a hit on Obi-Wan's face. Obi-Wan fell back but kicked Anakin three consecutive times in the chest, causing the boy to collapse and cough blood.

He didn't want to do this. There had to be a way to calm this boy down!

The only problem was Obi-Wan was so intent on merely surviving and Anakin was so intent on killing him that neither had the strength to speak.

So they kept fighting.

Obi-Wan continued to dodge, block, and counterattack, using the methodology of Soresu in his weaponless combat. He remained defensive and only attacked when his opponent was tired. He was rarely aggressive. Anakin, on the other hand, remained true to his own lightsaber style: Djem So. He was extremely active and straightforward with his attacks and never slowed. He continually grew more powerful with each punch until Obi-Wan finally had to counterattack and then Anakin would get knocked down. He would then leap back up and start all over again.

Djem So and Soresu were not just lightsaber styles, but philosophies that rang true for the two combatants using them.

Both Jedi and Sith were gasping for air and clinging for dear life on the dragon when Obi-Wan suddenly saw lights below him. They weren't in Azumi Heuk, Changying anymore.

They were flying over Noriyuki City.

Anakin screamed as he let his anger overpower all of his senses, breaking the barriers one by one until there were none left to contain his rage.

The lights below them extinguished.

* * *

Ress walked just behind Captain Mentzer as the two made their way through Noriyuki City. The captain was going just outside of the city to get a good signal to his fleet. They were going to contact the missing officers, although according to the commander on the _Executor_ they hadn't got a response when they tried numerous times before.

Ress' mind was on many things as he followed his superior silently. He was worried about Skywalker. He knew Skywalker's reputation to get into trouble from the Clone Wars as well as the situations on the _Executor_. He had treated the boy so kindly because he was just so happy he was alive.

Ress' true reasons for leaving the 501st were known only by him. The reason he had given Ensign Mothezsh weeks ago was just a half-truth. It was quite true that being in his squadron reminded him too much of the Clone Wars. Mothezsh had assumed that it was because of all his brothers, but it really wasn't.

Ress didn't trust his brothers anymore. His true family was the Jedi. How could his brothers have just turned on them because of one order? Not all of the Jedi had to be traitors, particularly not Kenobi and Skywalker. Ress had been led into battle many times by those two Jedi and quite a few others. He had also had his life saved on numerous occasions by those Jedi.

When he had first left Kamino, Ress' loyalty had been to Palpatine and Palpatine only, just like all of his other brothers. But as the years passed, Ress came to care more for the Jedi. _They_ were the ones on the battlefields fighting and dying for the Republic, not Palpatine. _They_ were the ones who saved thousands of clones, not Palpatine. Ress was disgusted that his brothers could just kill them because a man who had never done anything for them had ordered them to do so.

So he left the 501st. And then he had met Skywalker.

Force had that been interesting. He nearly had a heart attack when he first saw the face and, most importantly, the unforgettable eyes. What was unforgettable about them though was the sheer cold determination that had always been in them. When he had first met "Little One" that determination had been replaced by innocence and curiosity, but Ress had still seen it deep underneath the surface. And he had remained silent. He had played the best buddy who just thought the kid was cute.

He had sworn to protect Skywalker.

Now Skywalker was missing. Ress had to find him.

His musings were interrupted when Captain Mentzer suddenly froze and people in the streets began pointing and shouting. Ress looked up to see a monstrous red dragon flying dangerously low. The dragon roared and then Ress heard another roar.

Putting on his helmet and using the attached electro binoculars, Ress zoomed in on the dragon and saw two figures fighting on its back.

One of them was Skywalker. The other… the other…

Merciful stars. Skywalker was fighting _Kenobi_!

* * *

Padmé moaned as she heard people running and yelling. What was going on? The instant she realized there was a panic, she bolted out of bed, completely alert. The sky, which had been black when she went to sleep, was starting to bleed pink on the horizon. The sun was beginning to rise. When she threw a glance at the chronometer she saw that it was four in the morning.

Throwing a robe over her nightdress, Padmé ran outside to assess the situation. The instant she exited she heard a deafening cry and looked at the sky to see a red dragon. Off in the distance she could make out two more dragons flying and clawing at each other.

Suddenly, the lights in all the streets and buildings died. The city was plunged into darkness and pure pandemonium broke out.

* * *

**Please review! You know you want to...**


	27. Taking the Fleet

Kobayashi clung to a cranial horn as the nook-nami that had been chasing them rammed into Minh. Kobayashi heard Zhymmia scream behind him and looked in horror to see her falling.

"_Zhymmia!"_

As she fell, Kobayashi saw all the lights in the city suddenly extinguish. _Oh, no…

* * *

_

Obi-Wan groaned as Anakin's foot made contact with his jaw. When his vision cleared of the spots that had appeared he saw that Anakin had paused.

The boy was badly beaten. He had a swollen black eye and his nose was still bleeding profusely. His left leg was trembling from the strain and he was wheezing for air. Obi-Wan saw sweat stains all over his clothes.

Anakin fell to his knees and started coughing unceasingly. Obi-Wan slowly started to walk towards him when he suddenly heard a woman screaming.

Obi-Wan looked over the side of his dragon mount and saw Zhymmia falling with nothing to stop her.

"Blast," Obi-Wan cursed.

When he looked at Anakin, the boy was still coughing, doubled over in pain. Obi-Wan was worried that Anakin would do something foolish while he rescued Zhymmia… what could he do?

Praying that the boy wouldn't try to fight him again, Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin with one arm and then leapt off the dragon.

* * *

Zhymmia was holding on for dear life when that blasted dragon suddenly beat her head into Minh's side. The force of it was too much and Zhymmia flinched, releasing her grip as her hands were cut by the dragon's scales. She then felt herself falling and tried desperately to get a grip on some part of Minh, but it was too late.

She screamed as she fell, feeling the wind toss her around like a rag doll. Her fall and the wind caused by the dragons made her start to spin in a dizzying fashion and she screamed even harder. She couldn't even tell which way was up or down anymore.

"_Help!"_

As she fell, Zhymmia caught sight of an odd blur coming closer. If she had been thinking logically she would have wondered what it was.

But when one's falling to one's death it is safe to assume that the mind does not function properly.

Zhymmia then suddenly felt an arm wrap around her side and she was pressed against something. When she looked at it, she realized it was Master Kenobi.

"What…?"

Kenobi's eyes were narrowed in concentration. Zhymmia could vaguely make out an unconscious Darth Vader in his other arm.

Master Kenobi suddenly exhaled loudly and flipped so that his feet were facing the ground—which was quickly coming closer and closer. Zhymmia screamed, clinging to the Jedi Master.

Suddenly she felt her descent start to slow. When they finally landed, her feet were hovering just above the ground due to the Jedi's grip.

Zhymmia panted, extremely shaken from the ordeal.

"Are you alright?" he panted.

Zhymmia blinked. "Am I alright? _Am I alright?_ What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I just fell off a dragon flying in the middle of the sky; do you _think_ I'm alright?!"

Kenobi flinched but offered a sheepish smile. Then Zhymmia got a close look at him and gasped. His neck was bleeding from numerous scratches. It looked like something had raked its claws across his neck. His lip was also bleeding and he had a blood stain on his right thigh. She then examined Vader thoroughly and saw that he was similarly mauled.

Her attention shifted, however, when she heard screaming beneath her. "What… where are we?"

"We're on a roof right now," Kenobi replied. "I believe it would be best to avoid the streets."

Zhymmia saw what he meant. People were running about wildly, screaming and shoving each other out of the way.

"So how are we going to get down?" she yelled over the noise.

"I'm working on a solution,"

"In other words you're clueless,"

"Essentially,"

Zhymmia moaned. "I thought Jedi were smart."

"Might I say that one's intelligence is not measured in situations such as these, but rather one's common sense, quick reactions, and ability to keep a level head in pressured situations," Master Kenobi said, sounding playfully affronted.

"How can you joke at a time like this?" Zhymmia asked, shocked and yet relieved that he was feeling so relaxed.

"My dear, in my years I have found myself in far more dire circumstances," Master Kenobi smiled softly. "Now please hold on tightly,"

Zhymmia gripped the Jedi's tunic before suddenly releasing him. "Wait, I've got something of yours!"

"What would that be?"

Zhymmia grabbed the Jedi's small duffel bag that had been hanging on her right shoulder.

"Ah, I see," Kenobi nodded. "I thank you, Zhymmia. Now please continue to hold that for me. We must be going and I'm afraid I cannot carry two people _and_ supplies."

* * *

Padmé watched the dragons in horror before returning inside her room. She knew better than to run out into the streets with that chaos. What was going on, though?

To add to the insanity of the situation, Padmé suddenly heard more roars join the raucous. She saw a large dragon exiting the royal stables and preparing to take flight. Was that the crown prince on the dragon?

Padmé's eyes began to follow another sign of movement. Someone was jumping from rooftop to rooftop, heading towards the palace. She squinted to get a better look but the person suddenly jumped down to the streets and vanished.

* * *

Jifo felt his hands bleeding. The scales were starting to cut into his skin as he was constantly thrown back and forth whenever Minh slashed the dragon or vice versa. Minh always made sure that when the blow was made, the Imperials were facing away from the other dragon.

The female dragon then swooped downward towards the city. Kobayashi yelled out and told Minh to follow. Minh did so and bit the dragon on the neck. The other dragon screamed a high-pitch that made Jifo feel like his eardrums were bleeding. The female dragon then swung her tail back and rammed Minh in the stomach.

Jifo screamed out in pain as the scales tore the skin off his palms. He reflexively released his grip and stuffed his hands under his arms, gritting his teeth. Unfortunately, Minh bucked when he was hit once again and Jifo slipped and tumbled right off the dragon's back.

He saw the others calling out to him, but he couldn't hear them over the wind screaming in his ears. Everything seemed to go in slow motion as he fell. Suddenly he heard a loud roar just below him. That dragon was going to eat him!

"Hold on!" he heard.

What?

He saw a blue dragon flying alongside him. Wasn't that the one that had been attacking? He then noticed a man in rich Nihoman clothes sitting on the dragon's head. The dragon flew just below Jifo and the man caught him.

"Are you alright?" the man asked.

Jifo nodded, too out of breath and overridden by adrenaline to speak.

"Just hold on tight," the man said. "I'll get you down to the palace."

Palace?

Jifo saw the royal palace looming ever closer until the dragon landed and the man helped him to the ground. That was when he finally realized it was the crown prince.

"Uh…" he stuttered, trying to assemble a coherent sentence.

"Stay here," the crown prince told him. "The servants and guards will attend to you."

The prince then climbed aboard the dragon mount once again and the dragon flew back towards Minh.

A woman with brown hair and brown eyes ran out to meet him. She wore a blue robe over a white nightdress. "Come inside, quickly!"

Jifo simply did as he was told without argument. He followed the woman inside the main area of the palace.

"What's going out there? Do you know?" she asked him.

"I… he… they… he—he went _mad_!" Jifo stammered.

"Who went mad?"

"V…" Jifo immediately stopped himself. "The dragon,"

"The dragon went crazy while you were on it?"

"No, I mean… a whole bunch of dragons appeared and… flew here and…" Jifo shut his mouth. He could just hear Numel telling him to shut up before he hurt himself.

The thought of his friends prompted him to run to the window and watch. He saw the crown prince's dragon catching up to Minh and the other… wait, wasn't Minh the prince's dragon?

"Whose dragon is that?" he asked the woman.

"I can't say," the woman shook her head. "I'm just a guest here,"

"Who are you?"

"Cordé Tarix," the woman named Cordé said. "And you?"

"Jifo Hu," Jifo responded, purposely excluding his rank.

The two nodded in acknowledgment and then returned to watching the chaotic scene outside.

* * *

Ton panted as he and the clone trooper desperately avoided being trampled by the panicked crowds. The two finally managed to reach the edge of the city and ran off towards the direction of the spaceport.

"Sir, where are we going?" RE-793 asked.

"Anywhere from Noriyuki," Ton replied and the two managed to get far enough to where the deafening screams were mere haunting echoes.

Ton then activated his comlink. "Cdr. Katsure, do you copy? Cdr. Katsure, this is Captain Mentzer, are you there?"

There was no response.

"Interference, sir?" RE-793 suggested.

"I can't see how," Ton muttered before noticing that there was a message on his comlink. He activated it and a hologram of Captain Piett appeared.

"_Acting Admiral, I'm afraid you won't be returning from shore leave any time soon." _The captain looked grim. _"I understand that under the strictest confidence you told me that we had to avoid the emperor at all costs, but I'm afraid we cannot avoid him any longer. Long range scanners picked up an incoming fleet of Star Destroyers recognizable as the emperor's personal fleet. All the captains have decided to remain and Commander Katsure has taken your place as Captain of the _Executor_. I would have preferred to tell you personally rather than leave a transmission, sir, but it is for your safety and for the safety of Lt. Lo that this be done. I must urge you to evacuate Nihoma in any way possible. The emperor's fleet will be here in hours. It was an honor to serve under you, Ton Mentzer."_

The hologram faded, leaving Ton and RE-793 in stunned silence. No… _no!_ Emperor Palpatine… how did he find them so quickly? Ton knew what would happen next. If the emperor somehow knew Vader was still alive but his fleet did not disclose his location… the commanding officers would be executed.

_Damn it!_

"Let's go," Ton said in a rough voice.

"Go where, sir?"

"Back to Noriyuki; we have to find Lord Vader."

* * *

Exhausted and overwhelmed, Obi-Wan finally collapsed in the royal palace's gardens. Zhymmia let go of him and took Anakin out of his grasp.

Obi-Wan sensed people running towards him and looked to see… no… that—that couldn't be possible!

He stared in absolute shock. Was that _Padmé _running over with Jifo?

Padmé froze upon seeing Obi-Wan and then her eyes landed on Anakin.

"Good Force you two clawed each other!" Jifo said as he kneeled beside Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan acknowledged the ensign with a smile but his eyes remained on Padmé. She was staring at Anakin and then looked back at him. Upon realizing that he had been gazing at her intently, she walked towards him slowly.

"Obi-Wan…?" she whispered so Jifo and Zhymmia would not hear.

"When did you get here?" Obi-Wan nearly hissed.

"I've been here," Padmé replied. "When did _you_ get here?"

"_I've_ been here," Obi-Wan used her vague answer.

Their attention immediately shifted as Anakin gasped and his eyes opened. The boy immediately leapt to his feet and ran away as if someone's life depended upon it.

* * *

Everyone on Minh was screaming as the dragon fell. The female dragon attacking them had bludgeoned Minh on the head with her tail, knocking him unconscious. Kobayashi and the others had been bellowing and praying for some sort of rescue since then.

The ground was growing larger and larger. Minh's left arm hit a skyscraper as he fell, causing the building to topple and throwing half of his riders off, including Kobayashi.

He saw Carh'la, Kerrick, Numel, and Marrax alongside him as he fell. Considering how quickly they were descending he didn't have much time to give thought to his predicament, but he at least had time to wish it didn't end that way.

Suddenly, Kobayashi felt someone wrap an arm around his back and another arm underneath the back of his knees. He was carried to a roof that _wasn't_ collapsing and then hastily dropped.

"What the…?"

Kobayashi looked around wildly to see what had just happened. He found himself gaping when he saw a person jumping against the opposite skyscraper and catch Carh'la _and_ Kerrick in a heartbeat. The person returned and dropped them, turning on his heel and leaping off once again to retrieve Numel and Marrax.

Kobayashi continually tried to get a good look at the man but he moved too quickly to follow. Before Kobayashi could blink an eye, he was back and placing a panicked Numel and Marrax on the roof beside Kerrick and Carh'la.

This was when Kobayashi _finally _saw who it was.

It was Vader.

"L… Little One?" Kobayashi asked very quietly.

Vader was panting for air and bleeding heavily. He collapsed on the roof after dropping the last two. He then opened his eyes (at least his left eye—his right eye was too swollen to open) and looked to his left. Kobayashi did as well.

Master Kenobi was coming.

The instant the Jedi landed, Vader tensed but did nothing. His body language denoted that he was disoriented and slightly panicked, but his glare said he was wary.

"Anakin," Kenobi said softly. "Please, stay calm. I'm not here to hurt you."

Vader continued to breathe heavily and glare, but he remained still.

Kobayashi interrupted everyone's musings when he pointed to Minh, who was still falling. "You have to help the others!!"

Vader and Kenobi whipped around to see Minh land on the ground with a tremendous crash. Kobayashi shook his head in horror along with the other Imperials.

"_No!"_ Carh'la yelled.

Kobayashi fell to his knees but then his shock was stopped when he saw Rin, his mother's nook-nami, appear by the roof. On her were Moeema, Shiine, Rowan, Ooke, and Sano.

"Sano!" Kobayashi called.

His older brother smiled reassuringly and helped the Imperials onto the roof. "I'll get rid of that nook, Koby. Take care of them until I come back!"

Sano and Rin flew towards the nook-nami and began to fight ferociously. Since Rin was a female she was far more aggressive than Minh had been. Rin quickly tore enough scales and skin that the wild nook-nami fled. The nook Vader and Kenobi had been fighting on had long since gone.

Rin returned and everyone clambered aboard. Sano flew them back to the palace and they landed safely, quickly sliding to the ground and thanking their lucky stars they were all still in one piece. They were happily reunited with Zhymmia and Jifo.

Kobayashi's attention turned to Vader when he heard him land closely followed by Kenobi. Everyone grew silent.

Vader kept his eyes low, but from what Kobayashi could see they didn't look red.

"They're coming," he muttered, his fists clenching.

The group exchanged confused glances.

"Who's coming?" Moeema asked softly.

Vader tensed horribly, looking away from Moeema.

Moeema put a hand on his shoulder. "Who's coming, young one?"

Vader slowly looked at her with his open eye. It was blue just as it had been before this whole incident started. There were so many raging emotions. Kobayashi could see anger and confusion swirling with fear and horror. He also saw a tentative desire to let Moeema comfort him, but an irrational hatred against it.

"Who's coming?" Moeema asked again, even more softly.

Vader gulped and shook his head, backing away from her. He flinched when Obi-Wan gently took him by the arm and sat him down on the ground.

"Tell us, Anakin," he said.

"Commander!"

Everyone looked around wildly until Zhymmia exclaimed, _"Captain?"_

Kobayashi's eyes widened as he saw Capt. Mentzer and the clone trooper named Ress approach them. Both looked disheveled to say the least; the captain had numerous tears on his clothing and his face was dirty from the rubble. Ress' armor had dents and chips. The two looked like they emerged from a battlefield.

What unsettled Kobayashi, though, was the somewhat panicked look in the captain's eyes. He normally kept his mood well concealed. The only way someone knew he was unnerved or frustrated was if he was irritable, but it rarely was it ingrained in his features as it was now. The man looked like a nervous wreck.

"We have to leave. Now." Captain Mentzer said. "Is everyone here?"

"Yes, sir…" Rowan responded in an uncertain tone.

The captain nodded and was about to say something more when he noticed Vader and Kenobi. The recognition gleaming in the captain's eyes was unmistakable. He knew who the Jedi Master was.

"How…?" he muttered, grabbing for a blast pistol that would normally be on his belt but thankfully wasn't in this case.

"Captain, please listen," Rowan quickly explained. "He has been helping us handle Lo…"

Rowan tossed an awkward glance towards Vader, seeing how he reacted to the name. He didn't. His eyes were elsewhere. His mouth was slightly open and his expression was showing blank shock.

Kobayashi followed his gaze and saw a woman staring at him with the same expression on her own face. She then closed her eyes and shuddered before opening them with a stony expression.

"Hello, Lt. Lo," she said in a neutral tone. "You look pretty bad. What happened?"

Vader continued to stare at her wordlessly. Kobayashi finally recognized the woman, realizing that she was the one who had danced with him at the ball. That seemed to be so long ago…

"Padmé…" he whispered.

Padmé? Why was he calling her by her first name?

The woman's eyes widened and then, in the blink of an eye, she was by his side. "Anakin…?"

The two gazed at each other in shock and wonder before they were interrupted by the captain.

"Lo, who is this?" he asked.

"Who's Lo…?" Vader began to ask before his face hardened. Then he blushed furiously and looked away.

"Captain, what's the matter?" Rowan decided it was time to intervene. "Why do you look so panicked?"

"We've got a few issues with which we must contend," Capt. Mentzer said. "The first problem is that we have the emperor's personal fleet heading in our direction with intent upon finding out what has been happening. The second problem is they will be here in a few hours. The third problem is that the fleet has steeled itself for their arrival and will not let us aboard. Is my mood fully explained, now?"

"I believe it explains itself, yes," Kerrick admitted breathlessly.

"Force…" Shiine muttered. "What Vader said in the hot spring… _they're nearby_… that wasn't about the dragons at all…"

"Let's just concern ourselves with the three issues the captain so lovingly relayed to us, shall we?" Master Kenobi interrupted.

"You won't be going anywhere, Jedi," Capt. Mentzer hissed. "RE-793, shoot him."

* * *

"RE-793, shoot him."

Ress fingered his blaster automatically, but he did not raise it.

"What do you think you're doing, trooper? That was an order!"

"Sorry, sir, but shouldn't we be more preoccupied with evacuating?" Ress asked.

"Shoot him!"

"I'm afraid I can't, sir," Ress shook his head.

"What? This is insubordination! If you do not shoot him I will!"

A harsh voice interjected, saying, "Shut up, Mentzer."

The captain immediately flinched and looked over at Vader, who was standing once again. He was giving the man a red-eyed glare. "Ress is right. We need to concern ourselves with getting out of here."

"But—but…" the captain's eyes widened as realization struck him. "Lord Vader!"

Ress' attention intensified and he looked over the boy thoroughly. The defining factor was in the eyes. He saw the fierce determination, more present than ever before. The boy's right eye was too swollen to open but Ress could see enough in his left eye. It _was_ red when he first looked at it but in the blink of an eye it was blue. However, it was bloodshot as well.

Even the way he held himself was far different from Little One. It was more reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader. He held a commanding presence even though he was slouching from exhaustion. Ress immediately saluted him.

"Good to have you back, sir," he said.

Skywalker nodded slowly, though he didn't seem to comprehend Ress' words.

"I believe leaving would be an agreeable thing to do in this situation," Kenobi suggested.

Capt. Mentzer shot the Jedi a wary look before turning to Skywalker for instructions.

"Is your loyalty to the Empire, Mentzer?" Skywalker asked.

"Yes, sir, of course," the captain replied immediately.

"Is your loyalty to me?"

"Yes, sir,"

"If the two loyalties were to conflict, which duty would you follow?"

"S-sir?"

"Which duty would you follow, Mentzer?"

"Sir, m-my duty is to the Imperial Navy, but… but you're my superior."

"And if I were to be relieved of that duty because the emperor believes I am unfit to lead…?"

"Then my duty would be to whomever replaces you, sir," the captain answered logically.

Skywalker nodded slowly. "I'm sorry to hear that, Mentzer."

Capt. Mentzer gasped and clawed at his throat as Skywalker raised his right hand, his index finger and thumb slowly coming together. "L-Lord Vader…"

"If your first loyalty is to the Empire then I have no choice,"

"S-sir… _please_…"

"Little One, stop it!" Lt. Cdr. Norhek yelled. "If it weren't for him we would have been found at Dantooine!"

"If I were to order you to follow me and leave the Empire behind you, would you follow?" Skywalker demanded. "Answer me!"

"Y-yes…"

"Let him go!" the woman shouted.

Skywalker immediately released the captain. He shook his head but said nothing.

"We have to get out of here," Kenobi interjected.

"We can take the _Executor_ back," Lt. Sanus offered, looking a little shaken.

"_Take_ it back?" Lt. Cdr. Tade frowned. "You make it sound like we'll have to attack our own ship."

"What is your point?"

"You can't steal the _Executor_ if you can't reach it," the woman christened Padmé shook her head. "But I do have a large transport you can use to get there."

* * *

Padmé led the group as they rushed outside of the city. Obi-Wan was running beside Anakin.

"How can we trust this woman? We just met her!" Kobayashi asked the others.

"Oh, believe me, she's trustworthy," Obi-Wan responded. "And she's quite resourceful,"

"We don't even know who she is!" Kerrick protested.

"We can concern ourselves with introductions after we get to the _Executor_," Obi-Wan instructed. "Let's just go."

Padmé pointed to the Noriyuki Spaceport off in the distance. "We'll be there shortly. When is the emperor's fleet supposed to arrive?"

"I don't have an exact time," the captain replied. "I just know it will be in a few hours,"

When they finally arrived at the spaceport, it was partly deserted. A few people were wandering to and fro. They looked dirty and disheveled, telling Obi-Wan that they were citizens or tourists from Noriyuki who had fled during the chaos.

Padmé took them to an adjacent domed area that held a Naboo transport.

"Quickly!" Padmé motioned for them to follow. They all boarded and Padmé immediately went to the cockpit.

Anakin stopped moving halfway to the cockpit and leaned against the wall, panting.

"You need to lie down," Obi-Wan said seriously.

"No, I don't, Kichi—"

Anakin shut his mouth and said no more, his face as red as a Sith Lord's lightsaber.

"Sir, what _does_ Kichita mean?" Kerrick asked.

Anakin didn't say a word. Obi-Wan chuckled. "We'll explain later,"

"Wait, _you_ know what it means?" Numel said. "You said you didn't!"

"That was also before I revealed my identity to you," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Yes, well…"

Anakin looked at Numel and the latter quickly grew silent. An awkward pause followed before Anakin began to run towards the cockpit once more. He then asked, "How do you propose we return to the _Executor_ if they won't let us board?"

Ooke smiled. "I didn't ask for permission. I can hack the access codes into the docking doors underneath her."

"So we're breaking in to our own ship?" Carh'la sighed. "This should be enjoyable,"

"Not everyone's going to want to leave," Anakin said. "I'm surprised the officers in charge even agreed to this."

"The officers are loyal and dedicated men, sir," Capt. Mentzer replied.

"Then I'm sure that they haven't told their crews what's going to happen in a few hours." Anakin cringed and coughed harshly, causing everyone to gently push him into a more reclined position on one of the chairs.

"What makes you think they won't allow us to board?" Obi-Wan asked the captain.

"They believe that if we board, we'll only be putting Lord Vader in danger."

"They're quite right," Obi-Wan nodded. "We also have to take into account that not everyone places their loyalty to Anakin alone."

Anakin flinched at the use of his name but he remained silent.

Through the cockpit view port they could see the _Executor_ looming ever closer. Ooke entered some access codes and the doors underneath the ship that led to one of the hangars immediately began to open.

"You do realize that they're going to _notice_ the doors opening?" Marrax pointed out.

"Leave that to me," Anakin responded, narrowing his eyes at the hangar doors. "I'll keep them open."

Padmé quickly piloted the ship into the hangar and landed. Anakin let out a deep breath and the hangar bay doors closed.

"Now what?" Jifo asked. "How are we going to determine who is loyal to you only?"

Anakin laughed harshly. "Believe me, that's at most two percent of the crew."

Seconds later, a door to the hangar opened and stormtroopers began to file in, blasters at the ready.

"What exactly do you propose we do, sir?" Shiine looked to Anakin.

"Follow me."

Anakin ran out of the cockpit, forcing everyone to nearly trip over each other in order to keep up. They rushed down the landing ramp and saw that Anakin was already running towards the stormtroopers, who had frozen in disbelief and confusion.

Obi-Wan saw a lieutenant commander staring at Anakin. It was a female, a rarity in the Imperial Navy.

"Lt. Cdr. Sypikne, order your men to stand down!" Anakin said in a commanding tone.

"Lord Vader…?" she gaped.

"_Now_, Sypikne,"

As she gave the order, Anakin wasted no time in exiting the hangar and heading towards the bridge. Everyone followed.

When they arrived, the bridge crew leapt to its feet. A commander approached them.

"I thought Capt. Piett made his message quite clear," the commander said in a harsh tone.

"I don't take orders from a lower-ranking officer, Cdr. Katsure," Anakin said. "_I'm_ in charge of this fleet."

Cdr. Katsure stared in horror upon seeing Anakin. "What happened to you?"

Anakin's eye darted over to Obi-Wan for a fleeting moment before he brushed the matter aside. "It doesn't matter. I believe your post is in the engineering bay."

"But—"

"Are you questioning me, commander?"

Katsure actually looked relieved that Anakin was acting himself again. "No, sir,"

"Ooke, go with him," Anakin ordered.

"Yes, sir," Ooke nodded, determination gleaming in his eyes.

The two exited the bridge and then Anakin looked at the rest of the Imperials. "I believe you all have your duties to attend to,"

"Sir…?"

"You heard me."

Most of them left the bridge while the others went to their assigned posts. Obi-Wan and Padmé exchanged glances.

"What about us?" Obi-Wan queried.

Anakin said nothing for a moment and then he responded. "Your… your advice would be appreciated."

Obi-Wan hid his smile. "Very well,"

The three walked across the catwalk and went to the front of the bridge, looking through the view port.

"When does the emperor's fleet arrive?" Obi-Wan asked a lieutenant.

The lieutenant paused and looked at Anakin, who nodded. He then answered. "The fleet should be here in four standard hours."

"Then we have our work cut out for us," Obi-Wan looked to Anakin, who nodded again.

Anakin then faced Mentzer. "Get me all of the captains in the briefing room."

Mentzer immediately nodded and saluted before leaving. Anakin paused again and then turned to Obi-Wan. He looked at him intensely and then looked at Padmé. "You two have the bridge."

He then followed the captain, leaving Obi-Wan and Padmé.

* * *

**Please review!**


	28. Evacuation

"He's certainly placing a lot of faith in that Jedi," Cdr. Katsure said to Ooke as they quickly ran diagnostics over the hyperdrive. They knew they would be fleeing soon enough.

"How do you know he's a Jedi?" Ooke asked.

"I served under him," Katsure replied grimly. "Now do you mind explaining what in the blazes happened to Lord Vader?"

"Well, as you could obviously assess, he remembers now…"

"How?"

"The Jedi,"

"And the injuries?"

"Also the Jedi," Ooke admitted. "But it was because Lord Vader started a fight with him upon remembering. It's rather odd how quickly they seemed to have gotten over it."

"Let's just concern ourselves with our own duties," Cdr. Katsure said, and Ooke nodded.

The commander and Ooke both paused when their comlinks beeped. They exchanged bewildered glances before responding. "Yes?"

"Lt. Tunrott, report to the medical bay immediately," a feminine voice ordered.

Ooke heard Capt. Mentzer ordering Cdr. Katsure to do the same thing. This had to do with their plan to escape.

"I'm on my way," Ooke immediately replied.

* * *

Ryatsi leaned against one of the beds. She was the only doctor in the medical wing. There were five operational medical droids standing deactivated by the wall.

The other doctors had been ordered to leave. What was going on? Did it have to do with the emperor's fleet arriving? Ryatsi knew the consequences of treason; she would be executed.

She didn't care. She would die for Vader. Her first loyalty was to him.

The doors to the medical wing opened and a large group of Imperials entered, filling the room to the brim. Ryatsi actually had to sit on the bed with three other people just to allow for more space. What was this?

Capt. Mentzer made his way to the center of the room. "Everyone listen very closely. We are about to have a fleet-wide evacuation. You all have been called here because you will _not_ be participating in this. You are to remain here until the evacuation sirens turn off and then you are to resume your duties.

"You all have been selected to remain because you are the finest, bravest, and most loyal in Death Squadron. Lord Vader expects nothing but the best from you."

"Sir, are we fleeing from the emperor's fleet or are we fighting?" a lieutenant asked.

"We are going to avoid confrontations for now," Capt. Mentzer answered. "Since a spy for the emperor is aboard this ship right now it is for the best. The evacuation will take place in approximately three minutes. When this process is over, the fleet will do a hyperspace jump to the Void. We will then reorganize ourselves. Until then we will be running on a skeleton crew and so we require your best performances. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir!" they shouted in unison.

Ryatsi looked to the person sitting beside her. He was a young lieutenant. Despite the fact that he was obviously nervous, he held the same fierce loyalty and willingness to serve as the others in the room. Everyone had the same disposition.

Hopping off the bed, Ryatsi maneuvered through the throng of people until she reached the captain. "Sir, where is Little One?"

"I believe he would prefer it if you address him as Lord Vader now," the captain replied. "He is in the briefing room talking with the other captains."

"He… he _remembers_?"

Capt. Mentzer nodded. "Yes, now if you'll excuse me, I must return to the briefing room."

* * *

Red lights flashed and klaxons blared. People quickly and quietly proceeded to the shuttles, immediately preparing to evacuate Death Squadron. All of the occupants had been evacuated within five minutes.

Then, suddenly, the klaxons and lights faded. Everything seemed to be normal again.

_Nothing's normal when you're in Death Squadron_, Moeema mused.

"The coordinates are set, sir," she said to Vader.

"Get us out of here," he ordered.

"You heard him," Moeema faced her subordinates.

The hyperdrive whined to life and the _Executor_, along with the rest of Death Squadron, fled the system.

Their destination was the Void. It was christened so because it was a system where a supernova destroyed all of the planets. Most of the debris had floated outward, but some still lingered, resulting in numerous asteroid pockets. This would often interfere with scanners, making the Void a great spot for smugglers and outlaws. It would also prove to be a good spot for Death Squadron.

Moeema sighed as she looked at Vader. He had been so innocent just a day ago. His sudden change of attitude startled everyone, but the situation had called for fast thinking and not deep contemplation. It also required constant movement. Now that they were in hyperspace, Moeema would make sure that Vader stopped to rest, whether he liked her interference or not.

She approached him firmly, making her presence known and not backing down. She was a mother who had four sons; she knew how to handle rowdy and defiant boys.

"I need to speak with you," she said with command in her tone. She couldn't leave any room for argument.

Vader gave a sharp look with his left eye showing he didn't approve of her tone, but she didn't care. She had been looking at him as one of her own younglings and she would never give in to her own younglings. Despite his obvious disapproval, Vader still walked with her to the back of the bridge towards a handful of sensors. No one was in the area.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Little One—"

"_Don't_ call me that," he snapped, his face flushed.

"Just because you don't like people actually treating you nicely—"

"I don't know why you all did that, but I'm _not_ that—that…"

"Innocent boy?" Moeema finished for him.

"I was going to say _idiot_."

"You weren't an idiot!" Moeema protested. "You couldn't help your condition! We learned a lot more about you as an "idiot" than when you were acting "normal"!"

"That's enough!" he cut her off, turning to leave.

"I'm not finished yet!"

Vader whirled on her, his right hand twitching madly as if he were about to reach for her neck. "_I'm_ the one who is in charge here, _not you_. Back down or I will permanently relieve you of duty."

Moeema glared at him for a moment, catching her breath and grabbing a hold of her resolve. She then threw caution to the winds and said, "Fine, then. Kill me for actually caring about you."

The emotions swirling in his eye were conflicting until he turned away. Was that a tear she saw just now?

"Leave," he said in a strained tone.

"No,"

"That was an _order_."

"Then accuse me of insubordination, because I'm _not_ going to leave you when you need me."

He balled his fists and then growled in a menacing tone, "Why do you _care_?"

Moeema grabbed him by the arm and roughly dragged him out of the bridge so they would be alone in the corridor. "I care because over the past four weeks I grew to love you as one of my children. I care because I'm a mother who saw a child in need. I care because I _choose_ to and no order of yours will make me do otherwise!"

Vader looked at her wordlessly before turning away. Before he could leave, however, she forced him to face her again. "You're not going back to the bridge."

"Let go," he said in a far less stern tone. She was getting through his barriers. Good.

The door to the bridge suddenly opened as Kerrick, Obi-Wan, and the woman Vader called Padmé entered the hallway.

"Um, are we interrupting something?" Kerrick asked awkwardly.

Vader immediately forced himself out of her hold and faced away from them. "No,"

Obi-Wan's eyes softened and he slowly walked towards the boy. He placed a gentle hand on Vader's left arm. Padmé then walked beside Obi-Wan and walked in front of Vader.

"Anakin, let's go to the medical wing," Obi-Wan suggested.

Vader remained silent and still. Moeema saw the trembling. The boy was fighting to control his emotions. She could feel anguish rolling over her and a horrible loneliness filled her. He still didn't have his shields up?!

Obi-Wan noticed the emotion spilling and he quickly took Vader by the hand and led him down the hallway. Padmé watched for a moment before sighing and walking after him. Kerrick stood in blank shock.

"What… was _that_?"

"I don't know," Moeema shook her head. "But I feel so helpless right now."

* * *

Ryatsi hadn't expected for a patient to come so quickly, let alone two. To make things worse, the two patients were Darth Vader and a Jedi Master.

"I don't know how I always end up with the craziest situations," Ryatsi muttered as she examined the two.

She then turned her attention to the woman that had accompanied them. "And who might you be?"

"My name's Padmé," the woman responded, glancing at Vader before looking away.

Ryatsi noticed that Vader, despite remembering, was extremely quiet. She didn't say anything, though.

"I can't believe you made me hack into my own files," he finally muttered.

Ryatsi paused from her work and then laughed. "Well you were rather willing to do it."

"She made you do what?" the Jedi sounded incredulous and amused at the same time.

"Just shut up,"

They spent the rest of the session in silence and Ryatsi left soon after.

* * *

Anakin already felt humiliated because of the memories as "Little One" that were surfacing into his mind. He then felt extremely lonely because he knew they wouldn't do that anymore now. On top of that, he felt angry and even lonelier because Obi-Wan was right beside him, and then he felt extremely guilty and miserable since Padmé was there a well. Things couldn't get much worse for him.

Obi-Wan had already been dismissed from the medical wing. Ryatsi had told Anakin to remain. Anakin didn't want to.

So he left.

"Anakin, shouldn't you stay for treatment?" Padmé asked, following him out of the wing.

"Why are you following me?" he asked, his insides churning. He didn't want to deal with this right now. She hated him anyway.

"Will you just wait and listen to me? You owe it to me, considering you wouldn't listen on Mustafar."

Anakin froze, stung.

"I'm following you because…"

Padmé's voice died and Anakin looked at her curiously. She had an uncertain look on her face and then she looked him fully in the eye. "Anakin, I was and still am mad at you for turning away from everything you dedicated yourself to, but… I want to tell you I still love you. I still love you so much…"

The two looked at each other for an instant before they threw their arms around each other. They gazed at each other and then their lips met. The instant they did, Anakin's emotions exploded. He had missed her so much…

Their kiss grew fiery, but Padmé pulled away. "No, Anakin, not now…"

"Why not?" he asked, yearning to love her.

"Anakin, you have to rest."

"I don't want to rest,"

"But you still have to,"

Irritated, he broke the connection and looked away. He quickly calmed himself, though and then kissed her again, this time far more gently. "I love you…"

"I love you too, but you must sleep. Let's go to your quarters."

Anakin laughed. "Um, I don't have a bed in my quarters."

Padmé blinked, bewildered. "You don't?"

"No," Anakin shook his head. "It's just a meditation chamber."

"Didn't you ever sleep in that suit?"

"Not really,"

"No wonder you got sick so easily," Padmé muttered. "So where are you going to sleep?"

"Well…" Anakin trailed off, thinking about where he had been sleeping the past few weeks. He blushed furiously and then wished he could still laugh carelessly with the other Imperials. Then he brushed it aside. He always had something to suffer for in his life anyway, so this should be nothing new to him. He should just be thankful for what he has. "I do have another bedroom."

"Then go there," Padmé said.

The two took the turbolift to Deck 4. When they arrived at the door to Anakin's recent quarters, Anakin hesitated. Padmé opened the door and walked in first, motioning for him to follow.

As he did, they both heard a beeping sound. Looking around wildly, Anakin suddenly felt something ramming up against his ankles. He looked down and… well, he _saw_ a mouse droid, but he _sensed_ the Imperials on it. A Force Imprint…?

"Luke!" he remembered.

The mouse droid beeped a query.

"This is Padmé," he introduced.

"Anakin, you're talking to a mouse droid," she reminded him. Her tone held a slight note of concern.

"I know, I know," Anakin giggled. He hadn't giggled in years…

"I think it's time you got your rest," Padmé said, gently helping him onto the bed.

Padmé kissed him once more and then shooed the droid out of the room. Luke left, beeping sadly.

"Oh, leave him be," Anakin said sleepily. "He can come and go as he pleases… Luke, do a favor for me."

Luke beeped positively.

"Luke?" Padmé muttered.

"Go to the bridge and bother Obi-Wan," Anakin smiled wickedly. He could still have some fun, after all.

* * *

**Yeah, it's not as long as it has been, but it's still something, right? **

**Imperial Records! Here is a link to see Kerrick's Imperial record: **http : // img291 .imageshack .us /img291 /2928 /newpicture4oyq .png

**Just copy/paste the link and get rid of the spaces in between.**

**Please review!**


	29. Enriv 3

**Haha, I'm baaaaack! :-D Sorry it took so long; stress, bad economy, surgery, and other stuff got in the way... Darth Real Life really SUCKS sometimes. :( Here's the next nice long chapter! Enjoy everyone!**

* * *

The mood throughout Death Squadron had been tense to say the least. It had been two days since they had left Nihoma.

The _Executor_ had been awfully quiet since they had left Nihoma. Over seventy-five percent of its crew was gone, making the remainder extremely busy. No one complained, though; the thought of letting anything slow them down scared them too much. Many a time they needed someone to tell them to _stop_ rather than continue.

Padmé wasn't an engineer, a navigator, a doctor, or a mechanic. The best she could offer was moral support, and it was bothering her. She hated being useless.

The only amusing aspect was that "Luke" continually pestered Obi-Wan.

Although it wasn't amusing to the Jedi himself.

Obi-Wan grumbled as he tried desperately to ignore the beeping mouse droid banging into his ankles. Finally, he gave up and yelled at it, causing it roll away squealing.

"Blasted droid," he muttered before facing Padmé. "Where is Anakin?"

"Resting in his room," Padmé answered.

"Good, he needs his sleep," a lieutenant commander named Moeema Norhek said as she approached the two. "Now who you are and how does Lord Vader know you so well?"

Padmé looked uncertainly towards Obi-Wan, who shrugged in response. "They know who I am. I see no issue with you telling the truth."

Sighing, Padmé said, "My name is Padmé Amidala."

Lt. Cdr. Norhek and any other officer in the area froze. "Padmé Amidala? But—you're supposed to be dead! You died five years ago!"

"I didn't die, I simply went into a coma," Padmé responded.

"Then why was the whole galaxy told you were dead?"

"Because that was the common belief," Padmé twisted the truth as best she could without it being an obvious lie. She wouldn't tell them about the twins or her relation to Anakin.

"So how does Lord Vader know you?"

"We've met before," Padmé answered simply. "One of his missions as a Jedi was to protect me from assassination attempts just before the Clone Wars."

"I see,"

An officer approached them. "Lt. Cdr. Norhek, we have arrived at the Void,"

"Very good," Lt. Cdr. Norhek nodded.

"I suppose we will just remain here for a time?" Padmé asked.

"We don't have much of a choice," Lt. Cdr. Norhek responded. "After all, the entire navy will be searching for us."

"We cannot remain in this ship; it is far too recognizable,"

Everyone turned around to see Anakin entering, out of his Nihoman clothing and wearing black robes.

"You do seem to like that color, don't you?" Lt. Beillane approached him.

Anakin blinked and looked at his outfit before shrugging. "There's nothing wrong with black."

"I thought you were _resting_," Padmé and Obi-Wan said together, sounding irritated.

Anakin gave them an innocent shrug.

"Are you serious about abandoning the ship?" Lt. Beillane asked.

"Quite serious," Anakin replied. He looked around the ship. "But I am going to miss her… however, what I said earlier is still relevant; we are far too recognizable in this ship. It makes it difficult to hide in the largest ship in the navy."

"But where will we go to find another?" Capt. Mentzer inquired as he walked towards the group alongside a few other officers. "If we go into orbit anywhere it will be reported immediately."

"Wild Space might be a good place to find something," another lieutenant, Shiine Reukli, suggested. "The Empire doesn't have much control there. We're just beside it, actually."

Anakin seemed to consider it. "All right, but we'll still have to be very careful."

"Navigation, where are some non-Imperial planets in Wild Space?" Capt. Mentzer asked the navigation division, which was headed by Lt. Cdr. Norhek.

"Sir, there is a planet within range with our fuel reserves," she responded. "However, there are no records of habitation. I think it's deserted. However, this is a location where smugglers and other undesirable people meet. I believe they have a base of operations somewhere nearby."

"I wouldn't exactly trust outlaws," Anakin shook his head.

"Aren't _we_ technically outlaws now?" Padmé reminded her husband.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean it will make them automatically trustworthy."

"Oh, yes, Anakin and I have had our experiences with outlaws," Obi-Wan said with amusement.

"What is our range with the fuel reserves?" Anakin asked his men.

"The planet I mentioned is the only one we can reach," Lt. Cdr. Norhek sighed.

"Wonderful," Anakin rolled his eyes. "I suppose we'll have to contend with smugglers and pirates after all. Any idea where exactly that base of operations is?"

"I'm afraid not,"

"Sounds like an average day," Obi-Wan laughed.

"Plot a course for that world," Anakin shook his head, hiding a smile.

* * *

The trip to the world in question, which simply generically called 'Enriv 3', took a day. The _Executor_ quickly came into orbit. Anakin then rigged the ship to fly into the system's sun after a certain amount of time and the crew abandoned ship on the planet, taking shuttles and as much weaponry as they could carry. At least the shuttles could get further, anyway.

The flight down to the planet was unbearable. Not only was Obi-Wan there, constantly watching him, but all of the Imperials who had 'taken care of him' while he was delusional were surrounding him. The only redeeming factor was that Padmé was there, although _that_ still brought bad memories. Besides, despite loving him, she _was_ still mad. He put her life and the life of their child in jeopardy.

Wait a _minute_…

Anakin's eyes immediately bore into Padmé. What had happened to their baby?

His thoughts were interrupted when the shuttle landed gently on the surface. Everyone watched Anakin, waiting for him to move first.

He hated this tense atmosphere. So he decided to lighten the mood, although he would probably regret it. "Numel, I don't think you're going to find any nice women here."

The room burst into relieved laughter, particularly Numel, and everyone stood, following Anakin out of the shuttle.

The world was tropical. Enriv 3 was 60% continental, though this land was separated into about six hundred twelve islands. The entire planet was warm and humid with a constant breeze blowing through the land. It was constantly wet, having no dry season, but the rains that came were mild and so there was no flooding. The days on the world were thirty hours long, with a sixteen day month and a sixteen month year.

There was plenty of wildlife from what they could see. Hundreds of white birds flew overhead, squawking as loudly as they could. Then a large sharp beaked bird swooped low, barely touching them, before rising and giving a loud screech.

Anakin led the group through the thick green brush as the breeze blew the sweat from their skin. Anakin wasn't used to feeling the breeze on his face (except for the interesting expeditions on Nihoma)—he was actually finding the trek to be quite enjoyable.

"This is a beautiful world," Kobayashi said as he looked all around him.

"Yes, it is," Obi-Wan agreed.

Anakin still couldn't believe the Imperials were getting along with Obi-Wan so well. He supposed Obi-Wan had gained their trust by helping them watch over him.

Anakin's cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he further remembered just how childish he was when he was amnesiac. If only he hadn't tried to meditate on that _stupid_ day at that _stupid _outpost!

Obi-Wan paused. Anakin sensed it an instant later after he cleared his mind. Something was wrong.

"Eh, Lo, what's wrong?" Ooke asked automatically.

Anakin, despite being focused on whatever was causing the Force to ripple, managed to toss a glare in Ooke's direction. "Be quiet,"

Suddenly, humanoids jumped out, pointing bone-like spears at them. They were surrounded on all sides.

The humanoids were of about average human height. They resembled the Horansi species, which were a feline race. They had very short black fur covering their entire bodies. A fluffy black tail swept all the way to the ground. The people had what would be hair for a Human except it was bright red, matching their eyes. The end of their fluffy tails appeared to be dipped in red fur. The humanoids wore wood as armor plates on their arms and thighs and then wore leather belts holding red-dyed palm leaves. The females of the group wore a single red-dyed palm leaf around their chests, tied in the back. They were all growling.

"Anakin, don't do anything rash," Obi-Wan muttered. Anakin sighed in irritation and left his hand on his lightsaber hilt. He was hoping he wouldn't really have to use it, though; his Sith lightsaber was designed for larger mechanical hands, not Anakin's nimble and firm grip.

"Ca ëtóäkele-lófô!" one of them shouted, clicking her tongue in just about any way possible.

The Imperials exchanged bewildered glances. Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "Well, Negotiator, say something,"

"Just shut up,"

One of the humanoids, a male, seemed to realize something about them and then shouted to his companions. He said something in the tongue-clicking language and the warriors seemed to lower their guard.

The male turned around and approached Anakin and Obi-Wan, who were in the front of the group. He then said in a heavily accented voice, "Jehday?"

"We can't understand you," Anakin said, a little exasperated.

"Jehday?"

"Wait a moment, Anakin," Obi-Wan said slowly. "I think he's trying to say _Jedi_."

Upon speaking the word, the male immediately turned to Obi-Wan and pointed to him. He faced his fellow warriors and shouted, "Jehday!"

The warriors immediately shouted the word continuously and began pushing and leading the group through the tropical forest. Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "What did you _do_?"

"I'm not quite sure," Obi-Wan muttered in response.

They walked with the humanoids shouting 'Jehday' the entire time. About ten minutes later, they arrived in a large settlement. It was built into the tallest mountain on the island with enormous rocks that were smoothed and polished. Leaf and stick huts surrounded the large rock building, and similar-looking humanoids were standing and watching their entrance. The only difference between these humanoids and the warriors bringing the group was their hair color; while the black fur was the same, they had bright blue manes, eyes, and tips of their tails instead of red.

Immediately the warriors shouted 'Jehday' to them and the word sent the people scrambling. These new people began shouting the word as well and rushing towards the large stone building.

Soon after their arrival, they stopped in the middle of the settlement. Then two males flanking a large veiled entrance to the stone building began beating two thick sticks against each other. Then the veil fluttered and three females walked out of the entrance. They wore skirts made of shredded wood which were dyed light blue and a blue palm leaf around their chests. Seashells jingled around their wrists, ankles, and necks, tied together by leaves twisted and tied to each other.

Two steps after the first three exited, another three followed. This continued in a long process until a bamboo-made palanquin was brought out. Silky blue veils covered any entrance to the palanquin, leaving the identity of whomever or whatever was inside unknown.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Obi-Wan muttered.

The palanquin was placed just in front of them and then the warriors backed away until they vanished in the trees. The remainder of the people pulled blue veils which were on their heads held by grey headbands which wrapped around their heads. They covered their faces with the veils before going on their knees and bowing so their torsos were parallel with the ground. They held their arms straight out behind them.

The palanquin shook slightly as the occupant moved. Then pale furless hands moved the silk veil aside and a tall female stepped out, examining them.

This new woman looked more similar to the Humans rather than the feline humanoids. She had no fur anywhere; her skin was creamy white. She was very tall and had waist-length red hair which was pulled away from her face. Her ears were pointed, and she held herself with a certain grace. Her blue eyes were slightly larger than what was normal for a Human. She wore a dark blue silk dress which simply hung loosely from her shoulders. Seashell bracelets adorned her arms, jingling gently as the breeze blew them. A green headband made its way around her head, clearly visible on her forehead.

The woman said nothing. She simply watched them. Anakin sensed something off about her…

The woman noticed Anakin and walked towards him. She examined him and then reached towards him, placing her palms on his face. Anakin tensed, not quite knowing where she was going with this behavior.

The next thing that happened caught everyone off guard. The woman suddenly leaned in and kissed Anakin on the lips.

Anakin did his best to fight her off without seeming too rude, and thankfully the kiss did not last long anyway. She pulled away looking just as calm and expressionless as before. She then walked to Obi-Wan and placed her hands on his face. Anakin did his best to suppress a snort of laughter as Obi-Wan's expression grew vaguely alarmed at the concept of what was coming next.

Obi-Wan was pulled into a kiss as well, his eyes rivaling moons. Anakin could feel his chest vibrating as the laughter fought furiously to escape.

The kiss ended just as quickly as Anakin's and then the woman approached Padmé, who was just behind Anakin. Anakin began to worry now; she wouldn't kiss _her_, would she? His alarm grew as the woman placed her hands on Padmé's face just as she had with the first two. Padmé looked more than a little nervous. However, instead of kissing her, the woman leaned her forehead against Padmé's and closed her eyes. She then pulled away.

The woman did this same routine with the rest of the group, kissing the men and placing her forehead against the women's foreheads. When she was through with this odd ritual, she walked to the front once more and faced the bowing crowd.

She gave a shout and then spoke rapidly in the people's native tongue. Many of them went scrambling inside the strange stone building while the rest rushed into their huts. The place was deserted.

The woman then faced them. "Welcome, Jedi,"

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged surprised and bewildered glances. "You speak Basic?"

"I speak the holy tongue," the woman said. "Just as you do,"

_Holy tongue?_ Anakin suddenly didn't like where this was going.

"Who are you?" Padmé asked.

"I am Wégú-Muä," the woman answered. "I am the spiritual leader of this world."

"How do you know we're Jedi?" Anakin asked suspiciously.

"Boté breathes through you," Wégú-Muä said. "But only you two; the rest must be your entourage, yes?"

"Eh, yes," Obi-Wan answered.

"Welcome to Yoala, Jedi," Wégú-Muä bowed her head in acknowledgement. "I sent the others to bring proper transportation for you. Your entourage will be well cared for. The learned ones know the holy tongue and will be able to communicate with them."

"Yoala," Anakin muttered. "That is the name of this world?"

"Indeed," Wégú-Muä nodded. "I have been here for many centuries."

"You've been here for _centuries_?" Jifo gaped. "What species are you?"

"My race does not matter, for I am a Jedi," Wégú-Muä shook her head. "As part of a Jedi entourage, you should know this."

"O-of course," Jifo quickly said.

"What have you been doing here?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I have been guiding these people," Wégú-Muä answered. "They were undivided and savage when I first arrived. Now they are a peaceful people. The warrior caste was excited to see you; they knew that you were speaking no dialect of their own and therefore suspected you might be Jedi."

"So you taught them about the Jedi?" Anakin surmised.

"Yes, I did. They now know of Boté just as they should. Tell me, how is Boté and the rest of the worlds? Are there many other Jedi wandering the mortal lands? What of the prophecies? You must tell me everything, for I am very curious."

"Eh…" Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other uncertainly.

Thankfully the awkwardness was interrupted when the Yoalans reappeared with two more palanquins… though that only increased Anakin's embarrassment. He didn't _want_ to be carried around and worshipped.

A female Yoalan approached them with her veil still over her face. She bowed low. "Honorable Jedi, we welcome you to Yoala. I am É-Lófô-Ca. I will be your personal servant."

Anakin bristled at the concept, but Obi-Wan held him in check, quickly saying, "That really won't be necessary."

"Oh, but it would be dishonorable otherwise," É-Lófô-Ca shook her head earnestly.

"Then we would be more than happy to have your services," Obi-Wan compensated, still making sure Anakin didn't say anything. Anakin _really_ didn't like this.

Wégú-Muä entered her palanquin once more and four Yoalans hauled it onto their shoulders. Eight more watched Obi-Wan and Anakin expectantly.

"You can't be serious," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan sighed. "Anakin, they are."

"I'm _not_ going in—"

"_Now_, Anakin," Obi-Wan interrupted. "We don't want a fight."

Grumbling under his breath, Anakin entered one of the palanquins and sat on the cushion. He felt the Yoalans picking it up and then he heard Obi-Wan's palanquin being carried as well. Then a large procession led the palanquins back into the stone building. Anakin watched the veil flutter and then obstruct his view of the Imperials and Padmé. He hoped they would be alright.

When the procession ended, the curtain was pulled aside for Anakin and he quickly stepped out, relieved to be done with that humiliating spectacle. He hated having what were essentially _slaves_ waiting on him.

Inside the stone building was a stone shore which led to a hot spring. Boats sat on the water with rowers awaiting them. Wégú-Muä was already waiting in one. Obi-Wan clambered into another and Anakin followed suit, albeit reluctantly.

The three boats then began to smoothly go along the warm water side by side.

"Tell me, Wégú-Muä, how did you come to meet these people all those centuries ago?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I do not remember it very well, I am afraid to say," she replied. "I simply remember the Yoalan people and teaching them about Boté. However, if you like, there are stories that É-Lófô-Ca can tell you about my first arrival with my fellow Jedi."

"There were others?" Anakin piped in, interested.

"Indeed there were,"

The boats reached a crossroad. The steamy river lake divided into three rivers.

É-Lófô-Ca, who had been sitting in Wégú-Muä's boat, stood. "The passage to the left, honorable Jedi, leads to rooms of cleansing. Beyond those rooms are the rooms of prayer and communing. The center passage leads to the living gardens. The passage to the right leads to your own personal rooms. Where would you like to go, honorable Jedi?"

"Where are you going, Wégú-Muä?" Obi-Wan asked the woman.

"I am going to be in the living gardens, if you would like to join me." She replied.

"We would like to join you, yes," Anakin quickly said.

"Very well," Wégú-Muä nodded. "To the gardens,"

"É-Lófô-Ca, perhaps you can tell us those stories that tell of Wégú-Muä's arrival," Obi-Wan suggested to the Yoalan.

"Of course," she obliged. "It had happened exactly four hundred ninety-six thousand four hundred sun cycles ago. Boté sent a flying rock to Yoala with five honorable Jedi. We Yoalans did not know what Boté was or his Jedi, so we fought against the Jedi. When the Jedi showed their Boté-given talents, we Yoalans were so impressed. We Yoalans started to take care of the honorable Jedi, but did not know the sacred tongue. The eldest Jedi then joined Boté, for his time in the mortal world was finished. Two more honorable Jedi followed him soon after. Then the last two Jedi began to tell us of Boté and his wonders. Some time passed and then another Jedi joined Boté to work elsewhere. Finally, we were left with only one young honorable Jedi. We named her spiritual leader of Yoala. Her name means 'enlightened messenger': Wégú-Muä. Ever since then, Wégú-Muä has helped us build and civilize our society."

Anakin's mind was already working math problems as he converted the Yoalan calendar to the standard calendar. When he came to his conclusion he looked at É-Lófô-Ca skeptically. "É-Lófô-Ca, are you _sure_ about the date?"

"Of course," she replied with conviction. "We have a calendar that marked the date and we are still counting today. You should have been here for the four hundred thousandth anniversary; it was amazing."

"Eh… how old are you?" Anakin asked her.

"I have twenty-nine thousand four hundred forty sun cycles in age," É-Lófô-Ca answered calmly.

Anakin blinked a few times as his mind worked quickly through the math. "You're _one hundred fifteen years old_?"

"What is years?" É-Lófô-Ca asked with excitement. "Is it a sacred dating system?"

"Back to the legend," Obi-Wan quickly interrupted. "Wégú-Muä is a title passed down among the generations?"

"Oh, no," É-Lófô-Ca shook her head. "She is the same as she always has been. Wégú-Muä is just as she has been for all four hundred ninety-six thousand four hundred sun cycles."

"You're telling me she's seventeen hundred standard years old," Anakin said with a flat disbelieving tone.

"There's that word again," É-Lófô-Ca said. "It must have some significance."

"Tell me, what did Wégú-Muä teach?" Obi-Wan asked.

"She taught us the wonders of Boté. She taught us everything we needed to know about him and his Jedi."

"And what exactly is that?" Anakin persisted.

"She taught us that Boté created us all," É-Lófô-Ca began. "In the beginning, there was only oblivion. Then Boté appeared and made the first spark of life. He poked holes in the sky, planting seeds in it. The seeds grew into suns and worlds. The worlds then produced plants and water and animals. Then people grew.

"When Boté watched all of this in the very beginning, he selected thousands of infants and breathed his power into them, taking them to the skies with him. With his power inside them, these sacred messengers, or Jedi lived with him for thousands of cycles. Then, mortals started straying from the path of light and so Boté sent his Jedi down to guide and help mortals. Some mortals listened to them, some mortals rebuked them.

"Jedi took on three roles: caretakers, protectors, and messengers. Caretakers taught and cared for children while protectors protected the helpless and those in need of help. Messengers taught of Boté to the people.

"Yoala was one of the unruly worlds, and so Boté sent five of his messengers to us. Now we have Wégú-Muä, who is our spiritual leader, who encompasses all three ranks since she is the only Jedi here. But now it seems as if Boté has decided to bless us with two more Jedi and has even sent a sacred entourage! Are they on their way to the heavens?"

"Eh, is that another thing you were taught?" Anakin asked awkwardly.

"Of course," É-Lófô-Ca went on excitedly. "When a mortal dies, their spirit goes to the heavens with Boté. They stay there forever. Jedi lead entourages of these mortals to the heavens. I've never heard of Jedi taking entourages to another world, though; what is your mission here?"

"É-Lófô-Ca, do not be rude," Wégú-Muä chided.

The three boats reached a shore where a warm misty garden sat filled with lush vegetation. Wégú-Muä disembarked, followed by Anakin and Obi-Wan. The three walked through the garden.

"This is where I relax most of the time," she said. "You two can rest here as well. The holy hours will be when the warning crystal glows."

Wégú-Muä then walked away. Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What in the _blazes_ is going on here?" Anakin threw his arms in the air. "This must be the most warped rendition of Jedi teachings I've _ever_ heard, and believe me, when you hear Palpatine lecturing about how the Jedi were wrong, he warps Jedi principles pretty badly!"

Anakin then froze and slowly lowered his arms in horror. "Palpatine… he could find us here! We have to leave we can't stay in one place!"

"Anakin, relax," Obi-Wan said reassuringly.

"Don't start ordering me around," Anakin snapped. "I'm _not_ acting like an idiot again."

"You weren't acting like an idiot before," Obi-Wan explained in exasperation. "You just didn't remember."

"That doesn't excuse me!" Anakin rambled on, letting all of his stress over the matter pour out. "Nothing excuses how ludicrous, ridiculous, retarded—"

"Anakin,"

Obi-Wan's voice cut through him like a lightsaber (rather like on Mustafar). Anakin flinched. Thinking about Mustafar brought some _really_ sore emotions.

"Calm yourself," Obi-Wan went on, unaware of Anakin's conflicting thoughts. "We have to figure out what's going on around here and then we need to get back to the shuttles. There obviously won't be a way off this world without them."

"They can't be right about that date," Anakin suddenly said. "If they are, that means Wégú-Muä is at least seventeen hundred years old."

"Think, Anakin," Obi-Wan said in a calm tone. "She is obviously not Human, so she must be part of a species known for its longevity."

"Seventeen hundred years ago…" Anakin muttered. "That would mean they arrived on Yoala during the New Sith Wars."

"So many Jedi died or went missing in those wars," Obi-Wan leaned against a tree. "There's no way of knowing—"

Anakin clapped his hands together. "I know what her species is, Kichita!"

Anakin then flinched and looked away. "I mean _Obi-Wan_,"

Obi-Wan's tone held amusement. "Go on, Anakin,"

Shaking off his embarrassment, Anakin said, "Master, she's a Rocoyam. Remember studying about those? They died off in the New Sith Wars because their planet was razed so they lost about eighty percent of their population. They never could recover so by the time of the Naboo crisis when you found me they were dead. Remember, they always had their children on their homeworld, so the younglings died. The only Rocoyam left by the end of the New Sith War were the elderly ones!"

"That would make sense," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully while Anakin quickly realized he had just called a Jedi 'Master'. "So she's the last of her kind and she doesn't even know it."

"Rocoyam are known to live for thousands of years," Anakin added, albeit shakily.

"If her story is true, though, there must be something left from the crash sight. Perhaps records or journals…"

"What difference does it make?" Anakin quickly interrupted. "We just have to get out of here."

"Anakin, relax," Obi-Wan placed a reassuring hand on Anakin's shoulder, making his skin crawl in protest. He still remembered Mustafar quite vividly. As much as he knew Obi-Wan wouldn't hurt his Imperials, he wasn't quite sure if the Jedi would not hurt _him_. "We can't simply let them go on with this diluted teaching. I'm sure it was taught properly to them and its meanings were lost over the years."

"Wouldn't Wégú-Muä know to fix those problems?" Anakin asked exasperatedly.

"Not if she was too young to remember the proper teachings in the first place," Obi-Wan answered shrewdly.

Suddenly the sound of wooden sticks being slapped against each other reverberated all over the garden.

"The warning prayer session has begun!" voices called everywhere.

"What's the warning prayer session?" Anakin asked, completely bewildered.

"I haven't the faintest idea," Obi-Wan responded. "Let's go find out."

Wégú-Muä then approached them. "Come, we must commune."

"I beg your pardon?" Anakin raised an eyebrow.

"Do you not commune with Boté at the warning hour?" Wégú-Muä laughed. "Come, we must hurry. We do not want to be late."

"Right," Anakin rolled his eyes, but Obi-Wan grabbed his arm and dragged him back to the boats.

The boats took them to the cleansing areas, which were warmer than the other locations. There was so much steam Anakin could barely see what was ahead. However, when he saw that the boats were separating, he went on alert.

His boat stopped on a smooth polished stone platform. In the center of the stone was a pool of the steamy warm water. Yoalan men surrounded it. Folded neatly beside the pool was what seemed to be a silk robe.

"Oh, no, no, no," Anakin shook his head fervently. "I don't need a bathing party, _sorry_,"

"You must be cleansed before entering the holy praying area," one of the Yoalans said.

"I'm clean enough, thanks." Anakin snapped.

"All Jedi must cleanse themselves before praying," the Yoalan continued. "This is a basic principle. How do you not know this?"

"I already told you, I'm _clean_," Anakin stressed.

"No one is ever clean enough to enter without cleansing first," the Yoalan argued. "How can you possibly be clean?"

"Because I just am," Anakin folded his arms stubbornly. "Now let's keep going."

The Yoalans looked at each other uncertainly. Then the one who had been speaking approached him. "Only one can enter without being cleansed, and that is Boté. You must be cleansed, honorable Jedi."

"Then I must be Boté," Anakin said sarcastically.

The Yoalans gasped and covered their faces. The lead Yoalan shouted through his hands, "Do not say such sacrilegious things, honorable Jedi! It is the warning hour; this is when the darkness approaches!"

Anakin laughed harshly. "I've been to the darkness, my furry friend. I'm not afraid of the dark."

"You are a fallen messenger?" The Yoalan peeked out of his hands, looking at Anakin in horror.

Anakin could see this going down a very bad path, so he sighed and tried to retrace his steps. "No, it's complicated… I just don't need a bath, okay?"

"How are you a fallen messenger but not a fallen messenger?" the Yoalan pressed urgently.

Sighing, Anakin regretted ever mentioning it. "It's a long story."

"You must tell us," the Yoalan said fervently. "Dark messengers cannot enter the sacred prayer room."

"I have to tell you?"

"Yes,"

Anakin moaned. "What's there to say? I made a few mistakes in life, that's all."

"What do you mean mistakes?" The Yoalan asked curiously.

"Look, being the Chosen One just makes things _complicated_, okay?" Anakin snapped.

At this statement, all of the Yoalans gasped once more, but they all stared at him instead of hiding their faces. "You are the Chosen One?"

Anakin knew he had said something wrong now. They were all staring at him with the strangest expression he had ever seen. He wasn't even quite sure how to register it. "Eh, no, well, that is to say…"

"He is the Chosen One!" the Yoalan leader said to his companions. "That is why he does not need to be cleansed!"

Anakin suddenly liked this development. "Yes, exactly! I'm the Chosen One, born to bring balance to the Force, etc. etc., now can we _go_?"

"Of course Wégú-Töfînala-Boté," they all shouted in unison, bowing deeply.

Anakin raised an eyebrow at the odd title they suddenly gave him, but at least it got him to the 'prayer room'.

The boat smoothly rowed along the water until reaching a room made purely of rock and dirt from the mountain. Stairs that had been carved into the walls led up to the mountain's peak.

Anakin quickly climbed the stairs, and a few moments later he heard Obi-Wan arriving. He laughed, looking back at his former master but was surprised to see that Obi-Wan had not been forced into bathing. "They didn't pull the bath stunt on you?"

"Oh, they did," Obi-Wan replied as he rushed up to Anakin. "However, another party of Yoalans suddenly appeared shouting in their language and they rushed me here, saying that I needed to watch 'Wégú-Töfînala-Boté'. I'm not quite sure what they meant."

Anakin awkwardly looked at the Yoalans, who were all prostrate on the ground bowing to him. What had suddenly made them act so strange (well… stranger than before)?

"The warning prayer session has begun!" the voices continued to shout.

"Come on," Anakin began to run up the stairs once more. "Let's get to the top and see what this is all about."

* * *

**I love throwing you guys across the galaxy. :-D**

**Bleah, it took me forever to synchronize the galactic standard calendar and the Yoalan calendar to get those dates right... and I can't even pronounce the names I made up, lol. Here are the pronunciations for anyone who's interested. **

**Wégú-Muä = Way-Go-oo-Moo-(tongue click)Ah**

**É-Lófô-Ca = Ay-Loh-F(click with back of tongue (soft k))o-Sah**

**My tongue's getting all twisted just thinking about it! Oh, and here's the next Imperial profile: Kobayashi!**

http:/ img25 .imageshack .us /img25 /8250 /newpicturevc .png (copy/paste and get rid of the spaces)

**Don't forget to review!**


	30. Hiding on Taris

**Gah, I don't believe myself! I had finished this chapter a while ago and then forgot I finished it. *smacks head VERY hard!* Sorry for the wait, and please enjoy!**

* * *

Kobayashi sat comfortably on the cushions provided for him and the others by the Yoalan people. They were very obliging, giving them much food saying it was for their 'journey'.

"So where are our Jedi friends?" Kerrick asked one of the Yoalans while Numel flirted with the females, causing Zhymmia to bristle in irritation.

"They are probably praying for protection right now," the Yoalan É-Lófô-No said as he lit candles in the hut. "It is the warning hours."

"What are the warning hours?" Carh'la asked.

"Our prayers go by the time of sun cycles," É-Lófô-No explained. "When the sun rises, it is a new cycle. Boté blesses us abundantly during this time, bringing light to our world. When the sun reaches the middle of the sky, it begins to fall, ending the cycle for the day. At this time, darkness begins to creep upon us. Our spiritual leader Wégú-Muä prays for protection against the dark messengers during this time. We call this time the warning hours because they warn us of the end of the cycle when all grows dark. Then it becomes the dark hours. We keep a constant vigil during the dark hours in order to ward away the fallen messengers of Boté."

"I see…" Kobayashi said, exchanging a bewildered look with his fellow Imperials.

Suddenly, a Yoalan ran in, panting. É-Lófô-No stood. He spoke in the Yoalan language for a while, his tone indicating that he was remonstrating the Yoalan. The Yoalan shook his head and spoke in rapid reply, sounding panicked and awed at the same time.

"Any idea what's going on?" Kobayashi asked Ooke.

"I don't know," Ooke shrugged.

"What's wrong?" Padmé asked. "Everyone's suddenly listening to this new one."

Kobayashi looked around the hut to see that Padmé was correct: everyone _was_ looking at the newcomer in shock.

When the Yoalan finished speaking, all the other Yoalans began to yell or talk loudly at once. É-Lófô-No calmed them and gave them instructions of some sort. He then turned to face Kobayashi and the others once more.

"What's going on?" Rowan asked him.

"You must be very blessed," É-Lófô-No said in a trembling tone. "You cannot possibly be losing your mortal life… you must be in the process of being blessed!"

"What are you saying?" Padmé furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Your honorable Jedi leaders are not just any Jedi!" É-Lófô-No trembled violently. "Oh, this is too much to bear! To think that Boté's _son_ is walking on our very soil!"

"Boté's _what_?"

"Wégú-Töfînala-Boté and Wégú-Töfînala-Boté-Tca are walking upon our world! We cannot bear such an honor!"

"Calm down," Padmé said. "Just tell us what's happening."

"You are friends with the most blessed in the whole of creation," É-Lófô-No said. "Boté's _son_ looks upon you kindly. You cannot stay here; this is too lowly a place for you!"

"No, this is fine," Kobayashi tried to say, but É-Lófô-No wouldn't have it.

"You must stay in the temple!" he said. "No other place on Yoala is suitable, not even the huts of Wégú-Taä!"

* * *

Wégú-Muä sat cross-legged in the center of a rocky area. The room was open, with a fierce wind whipping. No Yoalans were allowed up there; only Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Wégú-Muä. Besides the whipping winds the place was silent. Anakin and Obi-Wan watched Wégú-Muä sit and mutter prayers under her breath.

The mood remained this way until É-Lófô-Ca burst through the curtained doorway. "Wégú-Muä, I must speak with you!"

Wégú-Muä opened her eyes and looked at the breathless Yoalan. "This place is sacred, É-Lófô-Ca; you desecrate it with your presence."

É-Lófô-Ca trembled but would not leave. "But Wégú-Muä, it is urgent, more urgent than the warning prayer session!"

Wégú-Muä stood and walked over to the Yoalan. "Then tell me quickly before you anger Boté."

"How could I anger him when his son stands before you?" É-Lófô-Ca pointed at Anakin, who jumped. "He is here with his mentor just as you prophesized!"

Wégú-Muä suddenly rounded on Anakin. "Are you truly the son of Boté?"

"I don't have a father," Anakin said quickly.

Wégú-Muä gasped and fell to her knees as if having a seizure. Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at her in alarm. "Just as the prophecy foretold—_one born of twin suns with no mortal father, this one would be the enlightened son of Boté, Wégú-Töfînala-Boté!_"

"Recite the story!" she ordered É-Lófô-Ca, who said with her, _"Boté wished to love his mortals even more and separated a piece of himself, making his son. Boté sent his enlightened child to the mortal dwelling where his son wandered and learned. But then a fallen messenger came and hurt the enlightened child of Boté, sending him on a path of destruction. Boté then sent a guardian to protect his child, the enlightened guardian of Boté's child—Wégú-Töfînala-Boté-Tca! These two walk the mortal world, blessing all in their path and bringing enlightenment to all who seek it."_

Wégú-Muä then looked sharply at Anakin and Obi-Wan and bowed. "Oh child of Boté… I did not know that we were to be so blessed…"

"I'm leaving," Anakin muttered, trying to flee as quickly as he could. Obi-Wan stopped him; the Yoalans would probably take that as a curse of some sort, and the last thing they needed was mass hysteria.

Wégú-Muä told É-Lófô-Ca to call the others, which the Yoalan did with efficiency and speed. A parade of Yoalans entered, bowing to the ground before Anakin and Obi-Wan and then placing a blue headband on each of them. Anakin and Obi-Wan merely blinked, looking completely bewildered.

"What—how do you know about the prophecy, anyway?" Anakin stuttered.

"Your blessed father sent it to me two thousand sun cycles ago," Wégú-Muä responded. "But what of the sacred spouse? _In a period of youthfulness, the enlightened child of Boté bonded with a mortal woman, making the woman more sacred than even Jedi._ Where is this sacred spouse?"

"Eh…" Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged awkward glances.

"Is she part of your entourage?" É-Lófô-Ca offered.

Wégú-Muä gasped. "Of course she is! I did not realize it until now; when I breathed through you all to see if Boté was with you, I felt a connection between a woman and yourself, oh enlightened child! Your sacred spouse is that brown-eyed woman!"

A group of Yoalans immediately rushed out of the room while the rest continued to lie prostrate and mutter odd prayers in their native tongue. Obi-Wan felt rather ridiculous about it all; he knew this had to stop somehow.

"We must call all of Yoala together to worship you, oh enlightened child of Boté," Wégú-Muä said immediately.

"That really won't be necessary," Obi-Wan finally managed to say. "We are departing—eh—_very_ soon."

"Are you returning to Boté?"

"No," Anakin shook his head. "We're… traveling. We have to… help more worlds… you know, _enlighten_ them."

"In fact, we had better be leaving _now_," Obi-Wan stressed before the situation could escalate any further. "Anakin, bless the people and let's _go_."

"What?"

"_Now_, Anakin,"

Anakin blinked and looked at the Yoalans awkwardly. They were all practically in a state of ecstasy at the thought of being blessed by their deity's 'son', particularly Wégú-Muä.

"Um…" Anakin said awkwardly. "As the enlightened child of Boté, eh… I… say that all of Yoala is now blessed. There. Now. Okay."

Suddenly the mood took a turn for the worse as Anakin collapsed to the ground in a gasp. Obi-Wan and Wégú-Muä were by his side in an instant and the Yoalans looked at each other nervously, panic in their faces.

"Anakin, what's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Palpatine's nearby," Anakin said through clenched teeth.

"Who is this Palpatine?" Wégú-Muä asked. "How does he affect Wégú-Töfînala-Boté in such a manner?"

"Palpatine is… a dark messenger," Obi-Wan explained in a way they could understand. "He affects Anakin rather badly…"

Wégú-Muä gasped. "He is the dark messenger who dragged Wégú-Töfînala-Boté into the path of darkness and destruction! He is the reason you were sent to watch the enlightened child!"

"Eh, yes, exactly," Obi-Wan agreed quickly. He then quickly returned his attention to Anakin. "Has he sensed you yet?"

"No," Anakin shook his head, trembling slightly. "But he is close… he found the fleet and is searching… Kichita, he's _coming_…"

Obi-Wan placed a reassuring hand on Anakin's shoulder. "It's all right, Anakin; we're leaving now. He won't find us."

Wégú-Muä motioned É-Lófô-Ca over to the trio. "You must join the enlightened one's entourage, É-Lófô-Ca. Represent Yoala as all the others are representing their worlds in Boté's creation. Aid Wégú-Töfînala-Boté-Tca in taking care of Wégú-Töfînala-Boté. You must dedicate yourself to this task; it is far above my own."

É-Lófô-Ca nodded fervently. Obi-Wan didn't argue the point; he was too concerned over Anakin.

* * *

The room was in a state of chaos. Rumor had quickly spread that 'Wégú-Töfînala-Boté' had blessed Yoala and then suddenly rumors stated that the 'dark messenger' was nearby and tormenting the son of Boté.

Ooke wasn't quite sure which was more ridiculous. He really just wanted to get off this crazy world.

To top it all off, the Yoalans suddenly were now trying to drag Padmé to the temple, saying she was the enlightened wife of Boté's child.

"She's his _what_?" Moeema exclaimed.

"She is the sacred wife of Boté's child, _Lófô-Töfînala-Boté-Hí_!" É-Lófô-No explained rapidly. "She must be united with her spouse!"

"You're his _wife_?" Moeema and the rest of the Imperials turned to face Padmé.

"Well—I—" the Naboo woman sputtered.

"Things get more interesting by the minute," Ooke muttered before noticing that Zhymmia looked oddly sad and flustered at the same time. "Zhymmia, are you alright?"

"Fine," she said quickly, looking away.

Yoalans began shouting everywhere all of a sudden, diverting everyone's attention.

"What's happening now?" Rowan asked.

"Wégú-Töfînala-Boté and Wégú-Töfînala-Boté-Tca are coming!" É-Lófô-No translated, yelling at his fellow Yoalans who prepared for their arrival. "You must wait for them immediately!"

The Imperials needed no prompting; they were already rushing out of the tent the instant they heard Little One—eh, Darth Vader—and Obi-Wan were returning.

"Lord Vader!" Capt. Mentzer called out to him.

Anakin walked by them quickly, barely sparing them a moment's glance. "We're leaving. Let's return to the shuttles."

The Imperials stumbled to keep up with the agitated man. Ooke suddenly noticed that a Yoalan was following them. "Eh, shouldn't you go back to your _temple_?"

"I have been assigned to join the entourage," the Yoalan female said. "I am É-Lófô-Ca."

"Great," Ooke muttered, returning his attention to the shuttles as he quickly boarded one.

"We're going to have to scatter," Vader was saying as he boarded. "Too many shuttles will attract too much attention."

"I'm not leaving you," Moeema said.

The rest of his group agreed quickly, refusing to back down no matter how much he threatened to crush their windpipes. Eventually he sighed in resignation and assigned them all to that one shuttle so the rest of the Imperials could split from the group and hide.

Vader then faced É-Lófô-Ca. "You can't come with us. It would be too much for you."

"But I have been assigned to your entourage, oh enlightened child of Boté," she protested.

"Yes, Wégú-Muä assigned you to me, but _I_ am telling you to stay," Vader snapped.

É-Lófô-Ca fell to the ground, trembling. "I am sorry that I displease you so terribly!"

Vader sighed. "You don't…_ displease_ me… I just have enough in my little 'entourage' for now. Stay here and… I don't know, pray for my safe journey or something. I might even come back and 'bless' your world again."

É-Lófô-Ca stood, keeping her head lowered. "Of course, Wégú-Töfînala-Boté,"

She then bowed herself off the ship. Vader and most of his Imperials sighed in relief.

"Now where should we go?" Jifo asked uncertainly.

"My home is within fuel range," Rowan suggested. "Taris is a large world and people can disappear rather easily in it. It would also be a good place to rest and find a new mode of transportation."

"But what will we _do_?" Zhymmia asked. "I mean, are we just going to run and hide for the rest of our lives?"

"No," Darth Vader shook his head. "We'll come up with a… plan. But first we need to lie low. We've attracted enough attention. Plot a course for Taris. We're going to your home, commander."

The Imperials sat themselves as the shuttle flew away from that strange small world that was Yoala. Ooke sighed in relief. That place was a little too… odd for his tastes. It also had no technology whatsoever, which was his worst nightmare.

Now they were going to Rowan's home world, Taris. It was rather like Coruscant, having a split between its upper and lower classes that was rather obvious. Rowan, being an Imperial officer, lived in the Upper City. Ooke had never been to Taris before, so it would be… interesting. He would normally call it exciting, but since they were on the run, it didn't quite hold the same tone.

Ooke turned to his left and looked out the window for a short while before the windows went opaque, which was standard protocol upon entering hyperspace in Imperial ships (though Vader would actually look out at hyperspace during the trip and would often dismiss the protocol).

Speaking of Darth Vader, he certainly seemed rather tense. The other Imperials had taken notice and watched him worriedly. Vader seemed to notice, which only increased his anxiety. Ooke wished it wasn't so awkward; when Vader had been amnesiac he was at least easier to get along with.

Finally, it seemed that Kobayashi wanted to break the ice. He stood and walked towards Vader, but Vader stopped him before he even got started.

"No, Koby," he shook his head. "Just… no,"

"Just know that we are here to help, sir," Kobayashi said. "We wouldn't have stayed, otherwise."

Vader watched Kobayashi and nodded slowly, his eyes softening just a little. Then he looked away, his mind preoccupied with other issues… mostly likely the issue of the emperor.

Ooke himself didn't know what to do about the emperor. He had never given it much consideration when he was first taking care of Vader; his mind had been on the issue of Vader himself. However, once he grew attached to Little One, he didn't want Emperor Palpatine getting his hands on the boy. Now, though… what were they going to do now? Was Zhymmia right? Were they just going to hide for the rest of their lives? What about their families? Ooke worried incessantly about his parents and two sisters.

An hour crawled by and everyone steadily grew bored. Vader eventually fell asleep, leaning against Obi-Wan's shoulder. Padmé began to talk to Moeema, Ryatsi, and Carh'la, while Zhymmia simply watched Vader. Numel seemed to be debating something or another, constantly staring at Zhymmia and then Vader. Marrax was staring out the window, looking pale, while Capt. Mentzer paced in the front of the shuttle. Kerrick, Kobayashi, Rowan, Ress, and Shiine were having a lively conversation in the back, laughing loudly and enjoying each others' presence. Jifo looked a little out of place, watching everyone silently.

Ooke decided to walk over to the silent ensign and start a conversation. "Jifo… we're going to Rowan's home… so where are you from?"

"Dorthus Tal City," Jifo replied. "It's on Sacorria."

"Do you live with your family?"

"No, it's just me," Jifo smiled a bit sadly. "My family is pretty split. My mother and father haven't spoken to each other in five years. My father moved to Corellia about three years ago. My mother is still in the old family house back on New Plympto. My older brother, Diddur, and I moved to Sacorria so we would be close to either parent, but eventually Diddur moved away with his wife Fernanda to Belasco. So now it's just me."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Ooke said genuinely. "I still live with all my family on Corulag."

Jifo nodded and the two were left in a somewhat awkward pause. Jifo continued the conversation when he asked, "So how long have you been in service?"

Ooke leaned back in his seat, thinking. "Well, let me see… I've been serving for about two years by now. I enlisted in the academy a year before the war ended… it seems so long ago now. The galaxy has changed so much."

"Were you always in Death Squadron?"

Ooke nodded. "Yes, I was. I've always been in the _Executor_'s engineering division one way or another. It makes me wonder what I'll be doing when this mess is over."

"If it is ever over," Jifo muttered.

"Cheer up, Ji," Ooke said with a smile. "We'll figure something out… we have to."

* * *

The bridge of the _Judgment_ was silent and efficient. Officers stood overseeing the enlisted men who were dutifully sitting at their posts. Reports constantly came in about the rest of the fleet, keeping the admiral updated on everything.

One of the officers on this bridge shifted uncomfortably before leaving for the lounge once his shift finished. When he sat, he sat heavily, obviously worried about something. Another officer took notice of this odd behavior and sat beside the first.

"Is something wrong?" the man asked. "You seem preoccupied."

"It's this whole issue with Death Squadron," the first officer, a lieutenant, said, shaking his head as he did so. "I just wish I knew what was happening. I mean, have you heard the reports? First the squadron goes missing entirely, and then it reappears over Nihoma missing its essential officers, and the rest claim that there was a fleet-wide evacuation. To top it all off, it is discovered that the _Executor_ is not among the fleet."

"It's about your father, isn't it?" the other officer, a fellow lieutenant, surmised. "He's among the missing."

Lt. Raltharen Chupa-Pau sighed. "Yes, he is. I'm worried. I don't know what's happening; none of us do."

"We'll find him, Raltharen," the lieutenant said reassuringly. "What's the progress on the search, anyway?"

"There's no sign of the _Executor_ anywhere," Raltharen sighed. "No one knows why there was an evacuation issued; it's suspected that there are traitors among the top officers who are missing."

"Surely they don't include your father in the group of traitors… do they?"

"I don't know," Raltharen shook his head. "We've changed course, though. I'm not quite sure why. The emperor just said to head towards Wild Space."

"Where did you hear that?"

"It's amazing what you'll hear when you report navigations to the captain."

The lieutenant stood. "Well, I had best be getting to my own post, then. Stop worrying, Raltharen; we'll find those officers, and when we do, everyone will know that your father is no traitor."

* * *

From space, Taris looked like a green planet with swirls of white creamy clouds curled all across the surface. Then a strip of steel crossed the planet like a belt with lights glittering so brightly the strip seemed to sparkle. It was almost as if someone had taken a piece of Coruscant and wrapped it around this world. Occasionally pockets of this would appear on other parts of the planet, but the belt was the most striking.

The Imperial shuttle headed right for the belt.

Cdr. Chupa-Pau sighed contently beside Ton. Most of the shuttle was silent by now; its inhabitants were fast asleep. The shuttle was running on Taris time; it had switched when they plotted the coordinates. On Taris it was currently two in the morning.

Ton found that he couldn't sleep too well. His nerves were fraying little by little. Being on Taris was not very promising for Ton; it had a large upper city and it was heavily Imperial.

_Force_, he thought. _The very fact that I have to _think_ that should tell me something is wrong with this situation._

However, being on Taris had its advantages. For one thing, no one would suspect them to hide in the middle of Imperial activity. Also, there were too many people for them to really be noticed.

A loud snore snapped Ton out of his musings and he looked over at Lt. Beillane and Lt. Tunrott. The two were leaning their heads atop each other and were dead to the galaxy around them. Ton found himself envying the two young lieutenants who found it so easy to just release their stresses.

Ton then turned his attention to Lord Vader, who was snuggled comfortably between the wall and Master Kenobi. Although it had been unintentional, the young man had simply gotten comfortable leaning against the Jedi Master, who took no offense to it; in fact, the Jedi had wrapped his cloak around Vader and allowed the man to use the Jedi's shoulder as a pillow.

Ton wasn't quite sure what to do. He was no longer a captain; he had lost his ship. He felt out of place now, lost in a group of Imperials who all knew each other well and cared for each other. Everyone was a comrade… except for him.

He had never concerned himself with "friendship" and he still did not. However, loyalty and camaraderie were completely different from "friendship". Ton was loyal to Vader more than the emperor by now, though he had never envisioned himself turning traitor for the man. Still, even _Vader_ was friendly with the others, though it was nowhere near as obvious as it had been when he was amnesiac.

Ton sighed. He never cared for making connections with his fellow officers; he simply did his duty. However, now all of their duties were far more entwined than any of them had ever imagined. He supposed the least he could do was be a bit more amicable. That did _not_ mean being as irritably optimistic and talkative as Kobayashi, though.

The shuttle began its descent into the atmosphere and the trembling that followed awoke a few of the inhabitants.

"Are we there?" Lt. Reukli slurred.

"We're entering the atmosphere," Ton answered.

The shuttle's landing awoke nearly the rest of the occupants as it bounced slightly upon touching the ground. The pilot and copilot, the only two Imperials not part of the original group, entered the passenger hold and opened the landing ramp silently.

"Captain," the pilot walked towards Ton, removing his helmet. "We managed to get through atmo without any protocol issues, but it might be best if you use another ship from now on."

"What about yourselves?" Ton asked, taking note of the pilot's wording.

"My home is on this planet, sir," he responded. "I and my friend will stay here. We won't be of much more use."

"Thank you for everything, pilot," Ton said.

"It was an honor, sir,"

The pilot and copilot quickly disembarked and then Ton faced his Imperials. Cdr. Chupa-Pau was awake and alert, shaking Lt. Cdr. Tade to awaken her. The former senator from Naboo (Ton was still trying to figure _that_ one out—how was it they ran into nearly every person who was supposed to be dead, killed, or taken to the emperor? Not to mention that they had just found out that she and Lord Vader were _married_) was stirring just beside a half-awake Lt. Cdr. Norhek. Lt. Cdr. Chelcu, Lt. Beillane, and Lt. Tunrott were stretching and standing while Lt. Reukli awoke Ens. Kenzee and Ens. Hu. A loud snore and a grunt issued from the back corner where Lt. Sanus was slowly coming back to reality. Ens. Mothezsh was looking around at the rest of the Imperials to see if everyone was readying to disembark. Meanwhile, Master Kenobi was awakening silently, his eyes opening slowly and taking in their surroundings before the Jedi gently nudged Vader awake.

"What is it?" Vader mumbled sleepily.

"We're here, Anakin," Master Kenobi said softly.

Vader let out a little shiver and then stood. Ton couldn't blame him for shivering; it was winter on this side of Taris, and it was bloody _freezing_.

"Lead the way, commander," Ton said to Cdr. Chupa-Pau.

"I think it might be best to address me as Rowan, sir," the commander said with a smirk of amusement. "We don't want the entire city knowing that Cdr. Chupa-Pau is about the area."

"Right," Ton nodded and then motioned towards the ramp awkwardly. "Eh, lead the way, Rowan,"

Cdr. Chupa-Pau nodded and exited. Vader followed next, then Senator (_former_ senator—this was so confusing…) Amidala and Master Kenobi, and then the rest of the Imperials, going two by two.

Ton brought up the rear as Cdr. Chupa-Pau led the group through the Upper City. The lights on top of the curved skyscrapers sparkled brightly, leaving everything illuminated though it was so late. Not many were wandering about, so they quickly walked through a plaza and took a transport to a more homey and residential section of the city.

Cdr. Chupa-Pau led the group to an apartment complex. They entered, not seeing much of the aesthetics in the lounge since it was so dark. The large group had to take three turbolifts, which all sped to the eight hundredth floor.

The commander walked to the fifth door to the right and shuffled through his duffel bag before finally picking out a card key. He inserted it into the slot, held it there for a moment, and then pulled it out. A soft beep issued from the lock and the door silently slid open.

A dark corridor was all Ton could see. It led into a large open room with deep blue carpeted floors, a panoramic window to the right along with sliding glass which led to a roomy balcony. An open kitchen unit stood off to the left. Ton couldn't see too much in the darkness, though the lights from the city shone into the living room and illuminated the long white couch and a dining table just beyond it. Ton could make out another hallway up ahead.

Cdr. Chupa-Pau—eh, Rowan—looked around the room with pride. "I see she's settled in well."

"What do you mean?" Lt. Beillane—blast it, _Kobayashi_, whatever—asked.

"My wife moved into this apartment just after I returned to service," Rowan replied. "I just saw the empty beginnings of this place."

He then turned to face all of the Imperials. "All right, if I recall correctly, this apartment has three guest bedrooms. Each bedroom can probably fit about four of you if you squeeze in together. Then maybe three of you can share the couch."

The group quickly offered two of the guest rooms to the five women. Lt Cdr. Tade, Lt Cdr. Norhek, Dr. Tunbaoth, and Ens. Kenzee would share the first guest room, while Amidala had to share the second with Ton (who felt rather embarrassed about the idea), Vader, and Lt. Reukli. Ens. Mothezsh, Ens. Hu, Master Kenobi, and Lt. Beillane took the third room. Lt. Tunrott and Lt. Sanus refused to take any of the rooms; they said they had slept on far worse and could handle the couch, sharing it with Ress and Lt Cdr. Chelcu.

Once everything had been settled, everyone went to their respected rooms. Ton entered the guest room and saw that there were only two beds that could barely fit two people on them. He and Lt. Reukli quickly took the bed against the right wall, leaving Amidala and Vader watching each other.

Vader sighed and bowed his head, backing out of the room. Padmé watched him go with a neutral look. Her eyes glistened, holding anger behind them and a grim understanding. She then promptly went to the other bed and fell asleep. Lt. Reukli and Ton looked at each other and shrugged.

* * *

**Please review! Oh, and by the way, the story "Military Mishap" has been published - it's the story you all requested about Kobayashi. Please read and enjoy it - it was written just for you. :-)**

**Eh... let's see, Imperial profile... here's Zhymmia!**

http(colon, backlash X2)img705(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img705/6441/newpicture1ru(dot)png


	31. In Hiding

**Hey, everyone! I'm back! Sorry for the delay, life's been a bit rough (see "notes" on my profile for details), and because of that I can't guarantee quick updates on anything. I managed to get this in, though (mostly because it was already started before the issues began). I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning everyone awoke very quickly. Their alarm was a shrill shriek from the master bedroom.

"What in the blazes was that?" Kobayashi yelped.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I believe that was the missus."

"Oh dear," Marrax laughed. "He's in a bit of trouble."

The rest of the roommates joined Marrax in laughter. Obi-Wan then stood and smoothed the wrinkles out of his traveling clothes; he, along with the rest of his roommates, had been too tired to get into some proper nightclothes.

"Dear, I told you last night,"

"Sorry! I just—you—oh, Rowan, don't _scare_ me like that!"

Everyone suppressed a snort of laughter and Kobayashi led them out of the room.

Mrs. Chupa-Pau was a slender woman with a calm and mature chiseled face. Her ultramarine blue eyes were slender but curved. She had thin brown eyebrows and fluffy brown hair which bounced to her shoulders. Her smooth pink skin had ghosts of wrinkles, barely giving away her age. She was currently giving her husband a reproachful look.

Mrs. Chupa-Pau quickly noticed her guests had awakened and bowed in greeting. "I am Jan Chupa-Pau. It is a pleasure to meet you all. You must forgive me for yelling earlier; I'm afraid my husband gave me quite a scare. I'm sorry for the mess the apartment is in; I wasn't expecting guests."

As Jan Chupa-Pau stated the last part of her sentence, she glared at her husband irritably. Rowan gave a feeble smile.

"Now, do you all have any preferences for breakfast?" she asked the group.

"Not really," Kobayashi shrugged and replied for all of them. "We appreciate anything you could give."

"I should have enough for breakfast," Jan nodded. Then she looked at her husband. "But I'll need you to get groceries for lunch and dinner."

Jan and Rowan went to the kitchen together. Obi-Wan yawned, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Kobayashi, Jifo, and Marrax walked down the hall towards the living room while Obi-Wan watched the rest of the Imperials go. The women from the first guest room were already lounging around the room. Carh'la and Moeema began to help Jan and Rowan in the kitchen. Numel was grumbling on the couch, trying to get more sleep. Ooke, however, was wide awake and chattering away with Kerrick, who was still half asleep. Ton, Shiine, and Padmé exited the other guest room, but Anakin did not.

Obi-Wan approached Padmé. "Is Anakin still asleep?"

Padmé looked at him. Her gaze was clear, but Obi-Wan could sense an underlying tension. "I don't know."

Ryatsi saw Padmé and called her over. Padmé went to the living room and had a lively conversation with the doctor. Obi-Wan, meanwhile, sighed and leaned against the wall, watching the former Naboo senator.

Padmé was a kind person and had been gracious and helpful to Anakin earlier because he was tired and sick. Now the friction between the couple was beginning to show since they had nothing to do but lie low and wait. There was no immediate danger, there were no natives trying to worship anyone. It was just Padmé and Anakin.

And that was the problem.

Padmé and Anakin still had a lot of issues to mull over from Mustafar. In truth, Anakin and _Obi-Wan_ still had a lot of issues to mull over from Mustafar. However, Obi-Wan was a Jedi; he knew that he needed to forgive. It hurt more than anyone knew that Anakin had massacred the Jedi. He had killed Obi-Wan's family… he had not even spared the younglings. However, Anakin was Obi-Wan's youngling in a sense, and a parent never lost love for his child. Obi-Wan had forgiven Anakin because he could see Anakin was struggling to be a Jedi once more, even if the boy wasn't quite sure of it. The Imperials had helped him immensely, probably more than anyone would ever know.

Padmé however… Padmé was a very strong minded woman. She believed in certain principles and would not back down from them. When Anakin turned away and refused to listen to her… and then _threatened_ the lives of their children, Padmé… well, to say the least, she would be slow to forgive. At the very least, she wouldn't immediately fall into his arms. She still loved Anakin deeply, but unlike Obi-Wan, she wouldn't forgive him as easily.

Sighing again, Obi-Wan decided to search the apartment for Anakin, who was nowhere to be seen.

He found him out on the balcony, his head drooped low. Obi-Wan crouched down to him and gave him a slight shake. Anakin stirred and then moaned, rubbing his neck.

"You could have found a better place to sleep, Anakin," Obi-Wan chuckled softly.

Anakin muttered something incoherent in response and stalked into the living room.

Obi-Wan watched the Imperials interact throughout the day. Moeema seemed to have noticed Anakin's disgruntled state and, being the mother that she was, immediately asked what was wrong. Anakin brushed her off, still awkward when the Imperials grew concerned for him.

Anakin and Padmé did a rather good job of avoiding each other, though Obi-Wan could see it pained both parties to do so. However, neither one would back down. Padmé was still angry with Anakin, and Anakin still didn't know what to say to Padmé. He also seemed convinced that nothing would be able to make up for what he did and so there was no way Padmé would forgive him.

That night the sleeping arrangements did not change. Anakin once again vanished, but this time Shiine went to look for him. When the boy was finally found, Anakin said he was more comfortable out in the night air, so Shiine at least provided him with a sleeping mat and pillow.

Obi-Wan sighed and fell asleep.

* * *

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

Rowan sighed, leaning further into his pillow. His wife had been pestering him for an explanation all day, and now that they were alone in the bedroom there was no avoiding it.

"Jan, I couldn't tell you."

"Why couldn't you, Rowan?"

"Because…" Rowan shifted uncomfortably.

Jan looked him in the eye. "Whatever it is, I can handle it. I've handled all the problems you've thrown at me for twenty-eight years."

Rowan smiled gently and stroked her face. As wonderful as his wife was, she was no fighter. He didn't want her to get involved too much… but he supposed she was already involved enough to be entitled to know. If there was one thing about Jan, it was that she wanted to be well informed, even if it was something that would panic her.

Sighing, he lowered his hand and she waited expectantly. He said, "Jan, it's complicated. Suffice it to say I'm…"

Rowan then shuddered and looked away. Jan, obviously concerned, gently placed her hand on his chin and directed his gaze at her once more. "Tell me, Rowan. Maybe I can help."

"I'm on the run, Jan," Rowan said.

Jan stared at him in horror, stunned speechless.

Rowan could see the thousands of things going through her mind just by watching her eyes. She was wondering what he could have done wrong; perhaps it was a mistake? Did he make a mistake? Did he disagree with an order? Was someone out to get him? Was he a scapegoat of some sort? He silenced all of her thoughts by stroking her face once more, though this time it was to reassure her.

"What happened?" she finally whispered.

"Something happened to Lord Vader," Rowan began to explain while continuing to reassure her through his touch. "I still don't know how it happened, but it did. He vanished one day, and then the next we found him looking like a twenty-two-year-old boy and completely amnesiac. We had to take care of him, but we did not inform the emperor. Not even the entire fleet knew what had happened; it was mainly a core group of us. So the fleet vanished off the charts. We told no one where we had gone. In the beginning we were just heading to a new destination, still trying to figure out what to do with him, but then something happened. He accidentally caused the hyperdrive to stall… for the entire fleet… and we ran into the Rebels. We fought them; we had found their _base_, Jan."

Jan hung on to every word, listening intently as Rowan spoke.

"We managed to get them on the run, but we were too injured to pursue," Rowan continued. "Then we fled the system. We headed for the far Outer Rim. We knew that if we reported the Rebel presence to anyone, they would inevitably find out about Lord Vader. So not only did we not report what had happened to Lord Vader, we also didn't report the Rebel sighting: two major mistakes.

"We arrived on a planet and remained there for liberty. However, Lord Vader suddenly remembered everything all at once and caused a bit of a panic. To top it off, the emperor had started searching for Death Squadron and had caught a lead, bringing him straight to us. We had to leave, Jan. So we did. We evacuated the fleet so those who didn't know would not get involved and would not hamper us, and then we took the _Executor_ and fled. We just abandoned the _Executor_ and sent her hurtling into a star three days ago. I brought them here because I knew it was a good place to lie low for a short while and then we would leave."

Jan was crying silently by the time he was finished. She shook her head and looked down at the bed. "Why did you do it, Rowan? Why didn't you just report it?"

"He was a _boy_, Jan," Rowan said a little defensively. "I couldn't just hand a boy who didn't even know his own name over to the emperor. I believe in the Empire, but Emperor Palpatine… he doesn't strike me as a fatherly kind of man. Besides, the boy was terrified. He is younger than our _son_."

Though it did little to soothe her nerves, Jan was satisfied with the answer. Then she seemed to remember what he had said earlier. "No, Rowan, don't leave! How will I know if I'll see you…?"

Then she trailed off and began sobbing. Rowan hugged her, running a hand through her hair. "We'll figure something out, Jan. I promise."

* * *

Taris proved to be fun to explore, though Rowan made sure to keep them away from the lower levels of the city. Nevertheless, Kobayashi found it all quite exciting; he had never been to Taris before.

This was their third day on the planet. Marrax had heard news that the emperor's fleet was searching the D'Astan Sector, which was a good three sectors away from Taris. They needed to leave soon, though; the fleet would eventually head in their general direction and they didn't even want to be in the same sector if they could help it.

Rowan's poor wife was nearly beside herself with worry. Kobayashi felt sorry for the poor woman.

As for the rest of the Imperials, they had been settling in rather well. Kobayashi and Marrax constantly went exploring the Upper City while Ooke fiddled and fixed every bit of machinery in the apartment along with Anakin. Obi-Wan was content with meditating and watching everyone else go about their business, occasionally running errands for Jan. Numel wandered in districts that Kobayashi probably didn't want to know about, while Moeema, Padmé, Ryatsi, and Carh'la constantly helped and reassured Jan alongside Rowan. Shiine took Zhymmia everywhere to visit the local sites and try the local cuisine, running into Kobayashi and Marrax on numerous occasions. Ress and Jifo were getting along well and went about their own business, going where they pleased, which mostly consisted of parks and other not so adrenaline jerking areas. Even Capt. Mentzer seemed relaxed, though he was oddly enough trying to spend more time with the rest of them instead of going off by himself.

Kobayashi could definitely tell that the captain was an introvert and did not feel entirely comfortable starting conversations with officers he barely knew. However, he could also tell that the captain was trying to make amends and get to know them better, so Kobayashi helped and provided ways of making the conversation a little less awkward as often as he could.

Today Kobayashi was watching Anakin wander the streets. He had finally left the apartment, growing restless. Kobayashi had volunteered to keep an eye on him alongside Obi-Wan and Marrax.

Kobayashi had suggested simply walking _with_ Anakin, but Obi-Wan had said he needed to be alone; it was what he wanted. Anakin needed time to think. So they followed from a distance.

The city was bustling. They were walking through downtown where people ran to and fro, talking happily or rushing to their destination. Kobayashi pointed out a restaurant. "Marrax, remember that place? Obi-Wan, you should try it out; the cuisine there is terrific!"

"Yeah," Marrax nodded, catching Kobayashi's meaning. "Maybe we could ask Anakin if he wants to eat there too."

"No," Obi-Wan said.

Kobayashi and Marrax sighed.

"This was a lot easier when we didn't have to worry about stepping on his toes," Marrax muttered to Kobayashi.

Kobayashi merely shrugged. "I know what you mean, but we don't have much of a choice. After all, he now remembers how to crush our windpipes."

Marrax laughed. "That sounds like a good reason to me."

Anakin walked ahead, vanishing into a crowd. The three men froze. "Where did he go?"

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, concentrating. Then he sighed. "He's hiding himself from me. He knows we're following him."

"Then let's try a less subtle approach," Kobayashi suggested. "Come on; Anakin's a man of action, so let's _do_ something rather than slinking after him."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "If you can find him, we will."

This was just the problem.

Kobayashi, Marrax, and Obi-Wan spent the next few hours searching the city high and low to find him. As they did so, they practically ran into every member of the group.

Kobayashi had the unfortunate honor of finding Numel.

"Numel—ah, oh…" Kobayashi looked away after feeling sick to his stomach as Numel flirted with an entire _brothel_.

Numel called out. "Hey, Koby! Meet my new friends! Ladies, this is Kobayashi, the sweetest man alive."

The woman eyed Kobayashi in a manner he rather did _not_ like, making him feel exposed as if their eyes were piercing right through his clothes and to his nether regions. "Ah, Numel, we need to… eh… to talk."

"Oh, Koby, can't it wait?" Numel whined, leaning against a Twi'lek who, in all respects, was essentially _naked_. "I'm a bit busy."

Kobayashi stuttered, blushing furiously and looking away once again.

"Oh, he's so cute," a Zeltron woman cooed, causing all the other women to suddenly find Kobayashi interesting.

"He's not your type," a voice behind Kobayashi said and then Kobayashi saw Anakin walk up to the women. "He likes Numel more than you ladies."

"I—wha—" Numel and Kobayashi both stuttered, and the woman cuddling with the former quickly lost interest in him. However, they suddenly thought Anakin was the greatest thing since the discovery of hyperspace.

"What about you?" the Twi'lek who had been cuddling with Numel asked, licking her lips.

Anakin shrugged. "I'm not interested. But I know someone who is just _dying_ for some of your attention. Let's leave these two lovers," he motioned to Numel and Kobayashi, "and find the _real_ one you're looking for,"

The women all followed Anakin, throwing disdainful glances at Kobayashi and Numel who stood in stunned silence.

"What the bloody hell was _that_?" Numel roared. "Now you've ruined everything, Koby! What do you want?"

Kobayashi stuttered again.

"_Well?"_

"I was looking for Anakin," Kobayashi replied feebly.

Numel stared at him. Kobayashi took it as his cue to flee the area. Maybe even the planet. In fact, he would rather leave the galaxy right now.

As Kobayashi made his hasty retreat, he caught sight of Obi-Wan desperately trying to fight off the horde of women who were surrounding him. Marrax was hiding in the shadows to avoid being spotted while Anakin was calmly strolling down an alley.

Kobayashi decided it was now time to _stop_ following Anakin. He was far too dangerous… more dangerous than he was as _Vader_!

"Marrax, let's… go get something to eat at that restaurant, shall we?" Kobayashi said as he approached his friend.

Marrax nodded and the two scampered away.

That night, Zhymmia greeted Numel with the biggest smack he had ever felt. Kobayashi was greeted by giggles from all the women, and Marrax was greeted by a glare from Anakin's direction, while Obi-Wan was greeted by comforting hugs from the women.

"Why does _he_ get the hugs?" Numel asked, sounding wounded as he rubbed his now red cheek.

"Because he's a gentleman," Carh'la laughed.

"I don't _believe_ you," Zhymmia stuttered, her normally dark face flushed with anger. "You—you disgusting—"

Shiine held his hands in the air. "Steady, Zhymmia, we don't want to _kill_ him."

Numel skulked out of the apartment once more, so Kobayashi and Marrax followed him along with Shiine and Carh'la. They found him sitting in the very restaurant they had been dining in earlier in the day in downtown.

The restaurant was on top of a fancy shopping center, providing a skyline view of the city. There were different levels. A band stood in the center on a platform that was floating over the customers, literally making the music float through the air. Couches around tables lined the edge while a bar was directly under the band. The lighting from the ceiling was a cool blue, accenting the navy carpeting and the neon blue lights on the floor by the walls.

Numel was sitting at the bar sipping a drink. The group joined him.

"You know, if you didn't go chasing women you wouldn't have this issue," Carh'la commented as she sat beside him.

"This is revenge for flirting with his wife," Numel grumbled. "I just know it."

"You're kidding me," Shiine laughed. "You flirted with _another_ married woman?"

"I flirted with _Anakin's_ wife, remember?" Numel moaned. "At the Unification Day Ball,"

"Good Force, that seems so long ago now," Kobayashi sighed.

The bartender walked over. "What'll it be?"

"Another Twi'lek Fizz," Numel tossed the glass carelessly to the bartender.

"I'll have a Red Blaster," Carh'la said. "On the rocks,"

"Make that two," Shiine nodded.

Marrax and Kobayashi looked at each other and shrugged. "Give us a Flameout,"

Shiine raised his eyebrows. "That's the stiffest drink a bar can offer,"

"We've had a rough day," Marrax ran a weary hand through his hair.

When their drinks arrived, Marrax and Kobayashi reached for the fizzing red liquid. They looked at each other and raised their glasses.

"To Anakin," Marrax said. "May he some day learn how to interact with living beings."

Kobayashi laughed. "Here's to that!"

The two clanked their glasses and then downed their drinks.

Kobayashi felt fire go through his veins. He and Marrax both shuddered, licked their lips, and then looked at each other in astonishment.

"Let's have another!" Kobayashi slammed his glass onto the counter.

Shiine sighed. "They're going to get thrown out."

"Let them," Carh'la shrugged. "I'm enjoying myself."

Five minutes later, as a roaring drunk Kobayashi and Marrax were being escorted out of the room by two burly Whipids, Shiine and Carh'la enjoyed themselves with a pleasant conversation, leaving Numel to brood.

* * *

Jifo and Ress sighed contently as they strolled down a busy lit up street. They had been rather enjoying themselves, doing nothing but talking about everything and nothing and not having to worry about dragons, the emperor, Death Squadron, Anakin, or anything of the sort.

"Hey, the night is young," Jifo looked at Ress. "What say you and I go to the movies and see what they've got to offer?"

Ress shrugged. "I suppose. I've never really gone to the movies."

"You don't know what you're missing," Jifo grabbed Ress by the arm. "Let me enlighten you to the experience."

The two walked to the local theater, which was large and had forty high resolution screens. A movie caught Jifo's attention and he pointed it out to Ress.

"How about that one?" he pointed to the title, which read _Trek of the Stars_. "I've heard some good stuff about it. A bit barmy, though; they've got people who can transport from one place to another by a beam or something – honestly, the things people come up with to make money."

Ress laughed. "Sure, let's watch it."

* * *

Padmé stood in the kitchen assisting Jan with dinner alongside Rowan.

"Pass me the breadcrumbs, dear," Jan said to Rowan, who obliged her and then continued to chop vegetables.

Padmé couldn't see how the two did it. They worked together flawlessly. It had to have been some sort of talent that some men and women were simply born with, and apparently she hadn't inherited it. Sola and Darred were the same way; they could always interact with each other in any situation, and even when they didn't get along, they would find a way to overcome it.

Yet when it came to her and Anakin…

Sighing, Padmé pushed the thoughts aside.

"_There's still good in him…"_

Her last words before falling into a coma whispered in her mind, making her heart ache. It had been a desperate plea to Obi-Wan to find a way to get to Anakin. It had been her last hope, her last bit of life to hold on to. She had never expected to survive after that point; her Republic had died, her husband was lost… everything seemed so empty. There was nothing left for her

Looking at Jan, Padmé suddenly wished she was her. Jan Chupa-Pau was no soldier, she was no politician, and she was not known by the galaxy. Jan had not discovered anything new, she had not fought in a war, and she had not saved planets or countless beings. She didn't even go to an everyday job. Jan was a housewife, and yet she had a strength Padmé couldn't even begin to imagine. Jan's husband was on the run; her son was in the navy, probably _searching_ for her husband; she was holding Darth Vader in her home along with other now-outlaws; there was a rather large possibility that she would never see her husband again… and yet she could simply continue to be a supportive and loving wife and a generous hostess.

How could someone so insignificant to the galactic scheme be so strong? Jan was the real hero here, not Padmé, or Anakin, or others like them.

Padmé watched Jan and Rowan cook alongside each other as if this were just another day, as if they weren't constantly thinking about when a squad of stormtroopers could break in and kill them all, and she shook her head. No, between her and Jan there was no contest. She just didn't understand it.

* * *

Moeema and Kerrick sat on the long light blue couch in Rowan's apartment, enjoying the skyline view.

"I just wish there was something I could do," Moeema sighed.

Kerrick shook his head. "Moeema, there are some things that just need to be addressed by the people themselves. You can't _make_ Anakin and Padmé get over whatever feud they're having."

"They're avoiding each other," Moeema stressed. "How can they talk if they're doing that?"

"Stop worrying," Kerrick leaned further into the comfortable cushions. "There's a time when you need to stop and let them make their own decisions. We may view him as just a boy, but he's _married_, and his wife doesn't view him as a little boy, otherwise she wouldn't have married him."

"I wonder how old they were when they married." Moeema thought aloud. "They had to have been extremely young."

"You married extremely young," Kerrick shrugged. "You were what, nineteen?"

Moeema nodded. "I got very lucky. Few marriages last when they start at such a raw age when hormones are working overtime and the brain's higher functions don't seem to be making a connection."

Kerrick suddenly grew curious and looked over at Obi-Wan, who was silently watching the stars from the sliding glass door leading to the balcony. "What about you, Obi-Wan? What do you think of marriage?"

Obi-Wan jumped. "Eh, Jedi aren't allowed to marry."

"Then what happened with Anakin?" Moeema and Kerrick suddenly grew confused.

"He broke the rules," Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head. "Jedi are not allowed attachment for a reason."

"What do you mean Jedi aren't allowed attachment?" the two asked, horrified at a concept.

"It's not as terrible as it sounds," Obi-Wan faced them fully. "Although it can be extremely difficult. The Jedi rule of non-attachment is simply that we cannot allow our emotions to get in the way of our duty. Jedi _are_ allowed to love, but we cannot let our love for one person blind us to the needs of many. That's exactly what happened to _Anakin_."

"What… what _did_ happen?" Moeema asked.

Obi-Wan sighed again. "I can't tell you. Maybe Anakin can when he feels up to it… when he can face it."

* * *

**Please review. Rowan's explanation to his wife was Little One in a nutshell, haha! Oh, and yes, that was a completely _shameless_ reference with Jifo and Ress. :-)**

**Imperial Profiles: Jifo!**

http(colon, backslash X2)img706(dot)imageshack(dot)us/img706/5783/newpicture2s(dot)png


	32. Unexpected Reunion

**I hope everyone had a great Easter! I know I did. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

The next morning, Ryatsi found herself being a doctor to her friends as two returned from a hangover, bruised and battered from some cantina brawl that they didn't even remember. Jifo and Ress were chatting away about a movie they had seen that they thought was pretty hilarious and fun while Moeema and Carh'la helped Jan with breakfast. Zhymmia and Shiine talked, leaving Numel sulking in the corner. Padmé aided Jan and Obi-Wan did his best to corner Anakin, who had been avoiding him since yesterday's fiasco. The captain was simply watching the numerous exchanges alongside Rowan.

"You all are quite an insane group," Capt. Mentzer commented.

Rowan laughed lightly. "You get used to it, sir,"

The captain nodded, but his expression denoted that he doubted Rowan. Shaking his head, Rowan went to the kitchen to aid his wife.

"Do you need anything, dear?" he asked.

Jan sighed, looking stressed. "A vacation,"

"Besides that," Rowan smiled.

"I could use a little help with the omelet."

* * *

Raltharen Chupa-Pau sat in his quarters staring at the comm. unit. He had some free time, so maybe he could contact his mother and tell her the situation. He reached to enter the frequency and location, but then paused. No, he probably shouldn't lay that burden on her. Force knew she would start getting stressed.

Sighing, Raltharen lied on his bed. The fleet was approaching Taris anyway; something about a 'feeling' the emperor had, whatever that meant. He supposed he would just tell her in person.

* * *

Anakin sighed as he sat on the roof of the apartment complex. It was the only place where he could get away from everyone without being found.

Watching the skyline of Taris, Anakin found himself feeling awfully empty. He _hated_ the Imperials for what had happened, and yet… at the same time he didn't mind their behavior around him at all. Sure, it was _embarrassing_ beyond description, but… it was somehow comforting as well. Most of them simply treated him as a close friend – only some, like Moeema, got _too_ carried away, but even then… Moeema reminded him of his mother.

Moaning, Anakin shook his head. What was _wrong_ with him? He was getting so many conflicting signals. He hated and loved the Imperials at the same time!

And then there was Obi-Wan and Padmé… good Force, what could he even _think_ about them? Obi-Wan… Obi-Wan had…

Anakin shuddered as the cold winter wind suddenly turned to an unimaginable heat that enveloped him. He felt fire prick his skin and a coat of sweat began to appear on him. He choked and gagged on the taste of ash entering his mouth and lungs.

Gasping, Anakin stood abruptly to shake the image away, but then tears came unbidden. Obi-Wan had _left_ him there… why didn't he _kill_ Anakin? It would have been _merciful_! Why did Anakin even get the _idea_ of calling him Kichita when he was amnesiac?

And as for Padmé, Force knew what she thought of him. Anakin could imagine it was nothing pleasant, and he couldn't blame her in the least. He was surprised she had been so caring for him in the beginning. She had said she still loved him… but she had also said she was still mad.

What could he do? After everything he had done, he didn't deserve Padmé. He probably had never deserved her from the start.

_And what about the baby?_

That thought scared Anakin constantly, making his insides churn. No matter how much he tried to hide from the Imperials, whether by physically getting away from them or by acting like he wasn't affected at all by what had occurred over the past months, no matter how much he was afraid and hurt by Obi-Wan, no matter how much he yearned for and yet avoided Padmé, he could never _ever_ hide this thought. What had happened to his child?

Padmé and Obi-Wan hadn't mentioned a thing about it, and Anakin _knew_ that they knew more than he did on the matter. It made him so _angry_ that they wouldn't tell him… and it _hurt_.

Sighing, Anakin sat once more, tucking his knees under his chin and hugging them. He didn't even know who he was anymore. Between all the conflicting memories, emotions, and thoughts, he was losing himself… he was just too afraid to admit it to anyone.

* * *

At dinner when everyone was sitting together in the apartment at some place in the living room (since the dining table couldn't fit all of them), Rowan decided to bring up something that he thought would help calm his wife.

"Dear, isn't there a social gathering tomorrow night?" he asked conversationally.

"What do I care for social gatherings at a time like this?" she asked.

"It's the _Ria_ Dance," Rowan prompted. "That's where we first met, remember?"

"I'd prefer for it to remain that way," Jan sighed. "I don't it want it to be where we last saw each other as well!"

"Jan, it won't be," Rowan shook his head. "But we should still go. It'll be fun. Besides, my friends have never experienced it."

Jan looked at her husband and then nodded. "Very well,"

"What's the Ria Dance?" Kobayashi asked, curious.

"It's the lovers' dance," Rowan explained, catching Numel's attention and making Anakin look extremely uncomfortable while Capt. Mentzer simply looked as if he were going to be ill. "It's a traditional social event. Everyone goes to it religiously every year. Mind you, if you're going we'll have to buy proper outfits for you."

"Goodness, being on the run has its merits," Carh'la laughed. "We're treated to royalty on Nihoma, we're worshipped on Enriv 3, and now we attend traditional lovers' dances on Taris."

"All in a day's work," Obi-Wan chuckled.

The next day, Rowan went with the men while Jan took the women shopping.

"So what exactly are we buying?" Shiine asked.

"The kinds of garments vary for people," Rowan said. "But certain things are constant, such as the colors and the veils.

"You see, these dances have a certain tradition to them. One is that the men and women alternate between being allowed to speak with words and being allowed to speak through body language—no, not in _that _way, Numel—so they can get to know each other about as well as one can in a night.

"There are two kinds of headdresses for this tradition. The first is a veil that falls to one's lips. This veil is attached to elastic which is wrapped around the head. You use this veil when you are allowed words only. Attached to the elastic on the other side is a second veil which trails down your back. You take the tips of the veil, wrap the veil around your mouth and nose, and then tie it in the back when you are not allowed to speak. Then you speak through your eyes and your movement.

"As for colors, the three traditional colors are black, white, and red. You wear red to indicate that you are available, white to indicate that you already have a soul mate, and black to indicate that you are in mourning over a lost love."

Kobayashi found himself imagining that he was wearing red robes and a veil tied around his face and then a beautiful woman would approach him. Then he remembered he couldn't speak. He wasn't going to like that part at all.

Oh, well. It's still fun.

The men all picked out their own outfits. Kobayashi spent the entire day anxiously awaiting the dance.

When the time finally came to prepare for the dance, Kobayashi immediately donned his outfit and stood waiting in the living room. Kobayashi's attire resembled his Nihoman attire in a sense and was all different shades of red. Numel naturally wore flaming red, while Jifo, Ress, and Shiine took more subtle, deeper red hues to not be so obvious while Ooke wore light red. Kerrick, Marrax, and Capt. Mentzer came out in white robes, remaining faithful to their spouses or (in the captain's case) fiancées. Obi-Wan and Anakin entered wearing black.

The women entered next. Zhymmia wore light shades of red, almost as if she were trying to ward away potential bachelors. Carh'la and Moeema wore white, while Ryatsi wore a pure rich red. Padmé, on the other hand, wore black like her husband. Kobayashi really didn't want to know; as much as he cared about Anakin, he knew better than to interfere with marital affairs.

The host couple came last, both wearing pure white. Rowan and Jan then led the Imperials to the location of the dance.

The walk to the place was long but pleasant. They passed through most of the city and then entered an alcove of sorts where they sat on the edge of the city. A beach provided soothing background noise as the ocean hugged the shore, rocking back and forth.

The group then entered the building. It was decorated with grey, letting the colors worn by the attendants speak for themselves. Lively music was playing and people were dancing in any way they pleased. The men were wearing veils over their eyes while women were wearing them over their mouths.

Rowan then faced the group. "All right, everyone, get your veils the way they should be. When you hear them blow the longhorn then you can switch."

"What longhorn?" Shiine asked.

Rowan pointed to it. "_That_ longhorn,"

The longhorn in question was exactly that: a long horn made of wood. The instrument was enormous, going all the way to the floor and needing two wooden pegs to hold it off the ground.

"Have a good time," Rowan said with a smile, adjusting his veil properly and then taking his wife by the hand.

* * *

Padmé tied the veil around her nose and mouth as tradition dictated. She then watched the Imperials disperse, melting into the crowd. Numel immediately went to the voluptuous women in red at the other side of the room, causing Zhymmia to get irritated once more while the rest of the women rolled their eyes or giggled. Moeema and Carh'la seemed to be enjoying the traditions, trying to communicate through blinks and eye movement and laughing as they failed miserably. Ryatsi, meanwhile, went over to the nearest table to get some refreshments. Shiine simply strolled through the crowd, saying hello to people who passed him. Jifo shyly followed Ryatsi around alongside Ress, who wasn't shy, but was just awkward in the whole idea; romance wasn't exactly bred in clones. Ooke and Kobayashi wandered around, introducing themselves to everyone they saw and having a great time doing so. Marrax just started a conversation with Kerrick, while Ton Mentzer stood in a corner watching alongside Obi-Wan.

And then there was Anakin.

Padmé watched him as he wandered to a dark corner with a cup in his hand and began to sip at whatever the contents were. He seemed preoccupied, his eyes glazed as he stared at the crowd.

Padmé looked away, sighing as she smoothed her long dress. There were more traditions to the outfit than just colors and veils. The bachelors and bachelorettes could show as much as skin as was in reason, while the married or engaged were more modest. Those in mourning, however, could only show their hands and faces. Padmé had to wear a black scarf to make sure no one could see her neck, and her long black dress flowed all the way to the floor as if it were a senate gown. The material was thick, keeping her warm from the winter cold outside.

A man in white walked up to the longhorn Rowan had mentioned and took a deep breath. He then grabbed hold of the mouthpiece and blew hard into the enormous instrument, making a low rumbling sound which allowed for overtones to swim through the air. Padmé's skin tingled listening to the sound and then she vaguely remembered that it symbolized a switching of veils. She quickly untied her veil and then lowered the one below her eyes. She then looked at Anakin, who had already tied his veil properly, and decided that it was time to talk.

Padmé began to walk over to his side of the room and then her steps faltered. She simply watched him for a while as he leaned against the wall, unaware of her scrutiny. He looked so alone.

Sighing, Padmé then took a step back. She wasn't quite sure what to say or do. Nothing could ever change what had happened, but Padmé could see he was genuinely sorry and terrified that saying anything would break what little bond they still had. But what could she say? What could she do? She didn't want him to think he was suddenly forgiven; he really wasn't. She was still mad at him for turning his back on everything he had fought for, but she could see the decisions and manipulations that led to that turning point. He had done wrong, and he knew it. But it still didn't seem like enough.

Padmé shook her head. She couldn't want vengeance. But what did she want? An apology? Would a simple _I'm sorry_ really be all she needed? Or was it more? She really didn't know. It just didn't seem right anymore. Padmé still loved him, but there was a void; she wasn't sure what would fill it, but she did know what had caused it. It ate away at her, whispering in her mind while her heart cried out for her husband, who was too scared to answer the call.

The music stopped and everyone applauded and then cleared the dance floor. Padmé then saw the musicians stand side by side, not holding any instruments except for one small chime and a wooden horn that resembled the longhorn except in a much smaller size. People were arranging themselves in a semicircle around the dance floor, holding hands and lowering their heads. Then, as if they were ghosts, those who were in mourning floated onto the dance floor… all of them. It was a traditional dance of sorts. Padmé hoped it was one she knew; it had to have been, for Anakin seemed to recognize it and he too went to the dance floor.

A tradition among the mourning was that they were not to touch anyone, so they each had two black silk handkerchiefs to dance with instead of holding hands. Padmé stepped onto the dance floor, purposely walking towards Anakin so he would be her dance partner.

There were eighteen who were in mourning, allowing for everyone to have a partner. Then the music began. It came, not from the musicians, but from everyone. The people in the crowd began to hum a mellow tune slowly. Padmé quickly recognized the tune, knowing it was a piece for those lost. She quickly fought off the images of everyone who had been killed because of the Empire and because of the Clone Wars. She watched Anakin. This was between the two of them, right here, right now.

As the crowd hummed, the mourning positioned themselves and then remained still. Then the crowd began to sing the tune on an "ah", giving the sound a somber tone. The instant they did, the mourning slowly held out their left arm to their partner. The women held the black handkerchief in one hand, and the men would take the other end and they would circle each other slowly, keeping their eyes on the ground. Then the melody was sung again on a "yeh", which was a syllable in Tarisian which was part of the word _yehkizhua_, which meant "remember".

When the crowd began to sing on a "yeh", the men released their grip on the handkerchiefs and stood in place. The women circled around them, but did not touch them. Padmé watched Anakin closely, neither saying a word. Padmé did a graceful and slow twirl with the rest of the women and then held out her handkerchief in an invitation once more. Anakin took it and the two floated across the dance floor before lifting it and then releasing it, watching it fall to the ground but leaving their arms where they were.

The melody then turned into a chord of different notes clashing and blending. Then many of the crowd took a new melody, singing in Tarisian. Throughout this, the mourning did not move; they stayed frozen, watching the handkerchief on the floor. It represented that they were frozen in time, stopping the flow of their lives to remember those lost.

As the melody was sung over and over again, the notes in the chord began to conform and then join the melody. Finally, everyone began to sing the same note and overtones sang through the room, making Padmé lose her breath. As the overtones continued to fill the room, the mourning slowly lowered their arms and picked up the handkerchiefs, stuffing them away and then facing the exit. One of the musicians tapped the chime, and with each chime another of the mourning left.

When Padmé began to leave, following Anakin, she noticed that there were even more people humming and singing overtones outside of the building, waiting for the mourning to leave.

The mourners marched in silence towards the city, the sound of the wind and the waves the only thing heard. Eventually, Anakin broke away from the silent procession, walking towards the beach but not stepping into the sand. Padmé paused, watching him grieve, and then made her decision. She walked over to him silently and walked in front of him. His deep blue eyes watched her every movement, pleading with her.

Padmé slowly lifted her arms and untied his veil and then raised her own. She then leaned in and the two shared a very tender kiss before it blossomed and grew, and no words were needed.

* * *

Zhymmia watched those who were in mourning as they did their somber dance. She was enraptured not only with the music and the solemnity with which the dancers carried themselves, but one couple in particular. Her heart fluttered when she looked into Vader's blue eyes, but they were gazing intently at Padmé Amidala.

Sighing, Zhymmia shook her head and turned away. What was wrong with her, anyway? Ever since she had started getting to really know Vader when he was running amok as Little One she had started… feeling oddly around him. She didn't like it. What was worse was that it hurt to see him with Amidala and she didn't know why.

Thankfully, the song ended and the couples left. Apparently they wouldn't stay for the rest of the party.

After they left, the overtones vanished bit by bit until everyone stood in silence. Then suddenly, one of the musicians shouted in Tarisian. _"Yehkizhua!"_

Everyone in the crowd repeated him somberly with their heads bowed, and then the musician clapped his hands twice. He clapped them twice again, accompanied by the rest of the musicians. The he yelled, _"Dela hehkmiala foomas!"_

"_Dela!" _the crowd shouted back with a cheer.

"_Dela hehkmiala foomas!"_

"_Dela!"_

The musicians all clapped their hands twice once more and then started drumming a beat in a ceramic pot with wooden sticks before adding more instruments to it. Everyone began to dance and cheer, doing whatever they wished, and an enormous crowd entered from outside, having been standing out there until the mourners left.

Zhymmia watched everyone dancing and genuinely enjoying themselves and she slowly, timidly, but surely, began to join them, hopping to the beat lightly and beginning to laugh as she twirled around.

Unfortunately, her twirling led her right into Numel.

Her smile fading, Zhymmia waited for a snide remark from him when she suddenly remembered that the men were to be silent. She laughed again. "Not so tough when you can't flirt, are you?"

Numel looked at her intensely, and for some reason, it made her feel uneasy. She slinked away, trying to shake off the odd feeling.

Zhymmia danced for a while longer, enjoying the music and the liveliness of it all, and then she walked to the side to get refreshments.

The lighthearted atmosphere of the room was contagious and Zhymmia soon found herself dancing with almost every man in the room, for once not feeling uncomfortable with the concept since it was just plain fun.

After a while the dancing grew to exhaust her and Zhymmia stepped outside to get some cool air on her sweaty face.

The Star Destroyers hovering in the sky was not what she had expected to see.

* * *

Blessed release and bliss was all he felt – it was the amazing sensation of being lost in someone else and being so intimate with them that one couldn't be distinguished from the other. It was an act of love, but also of trust.

Anakin kissed Padmé tenderly on the neck as the two held each other, calm after separating from the bliss. Padmé in turn snuggled into his embrace. Anakin wanted to say so much, but he couldn't find the words for it. So instead he just held her.

Padmé seemed reluctant to start conversation as well. Anakin knew that was the case because normally she was the one to talk first, but she didn't say a word. He knew part of it was simply because there were no words to be said after what they had done – it had spoken for itself. But part of it was because she, just like Anakin, didn't know what to say.

So this time Anakin took the initiative. He stroked his hand through her sweaty hair and kissed her tenderly. "Padmé… you're too good for me."

Padmé chuckled and returned his kiss. "What makes you say that? I'm as flawed as you are."

Anakin let out a disbelieving laugh at that remark. "Please, what could you possibly have done to make you even _nearly_ as flawed as me?"

"Anakin, everyone makes mistakes,"

Anakin pulled away from her to look at her directly. "Mistakes? That was some _mistake_ I made, Padmé. The whole _galaxy_ has had to suffer for it."

"You're not the center of attention, Ani," Padmé rolled her eyes jokingly. "A lot of things led up to this. You were a big part of it, no doubts there, but you weren't the main cause of it. This was inevitable by the end of the war – Palpatine had the senate in the palm of his hand. Even I was blind to it."

Anakin watched her for a while before leaning on her and kissing her again, letting her words linger in the air. Then he pulled away again and made sure he could read her expression for his next question. "What happened to the baby?"

Padmé looked uncomfortable.

"Padmé, please," Anakin moaned, holding her close to him. He felt her breath tickle his bare shoulder. "Tell me what happened to our baby."

"I was right, you know," Padmé softly and then she seemed to gain some confidence as she laughed and pinched Anakin. "I was _right_. We have a son."

Anakin jumped. "What? We—a _son_?"

Padmé nodded. "But you were right too,"

"I—I was?" Anakin stuttered, not understanding. "I thought it was a girl."

"We have a daughter too," Padmé explained.

"But—you just said—"

Padmé laughed and kissed Anakin to silence him. Then she said, "Honestly, Anakin, haven't you ever heard of twins?"

"You gave birth to _twins_?" Anakin gaped at his wife. "But where are they?"

"They're safe," Padmé replied. "They're in hiding. I went into a coma, Anakin, and you were… well…"

Anakin crumpled on the bed, his chest constricted. "They… they've grown up… without…"

Padmé kissed him reassuringly. "We're getting them back, Anakin, but not now; we can't reunite with them like this. We're on the run from the Empire."

Anakin looked at her, shocked at her words. "What do you mean we're not getting them now? They'd be five – they're probably wondering who their parents are! Or… do they not know about us?"

"Ani, they know about us," Padmé nodded. "Sort of,"

"_Sort of?"_

"Well, they know they're adopted, at least," Padmé modified her previous statement.

Anakin felt horrible. "Padmé, we can't leave them like that – I _know_ what it's like to grow up without having a father or knowing who he is or what a father's like."

"Anakin, you should also know what it's like to be living in a bad situation," Padmé told him sternly. "We can't let our children share that same fate."

"As long as I had my mother I never cared how bad it got," Anakin retorted.

"You can't justify it, Anakin," Padmé said. "I _know_ how much that life scarred you."

Padmé traced her hand up his back, running her fingers along a scar from a whipping he had received when he was four that never fully healed. Then she rested her palm over his heart. "And not just physically,"

Anakin sighed and held her tightly, shivering, and Padmé gave him another reassuring kiss on his neck.

"So…" Anakin whispered into her hair. "Their names… Luke and Leia? Like we had decided?"

Padmé nodded. "I always told you it would be a boy. He has your eyes, you know. I remember them."

Anakin felt tears slowly trace down his cheeks before slipping into Padmé's hair. "What about Leia?"

"I think she inherited my looks," Padmé smirked.

"Humph, that means I'll have to fight off all the boys as she gets older," Anakin snorted. "Force, they're five…"

Shaking his head, Anakin said, "I'm a horrible father."

Padmé stroked his face. "Anakin, you… it's true you made mistakes and a very _wrong_ choice, but we'll correct it. We'll correct all of it."

Anakin looked at her earnestly as if her words would bring miracles and the two kissed, becoming one again.

Their reverie was interrupted when Anakin felt danger spike through the Force and he abruptly pulled away.

"What's wrong?" Padmé asked.

Anakin didn't say anything. He couldn't. The presence he sensed struck him dumb with fear. He couldn't even breathe.

"Anakin? Anakin!"

Anakin held Padmé tightly, finding his voice. "He's coming… _Padmé_…"

"Who? Who's coming?" Padmé asked urgently. "Anakin, what's wrong?"

"Kichita…" Anakin moaned, calling to Obi-Wan through the Force.

* * *

**Please review. :-)**

**Oh, and here's a piece that has overtones for those of you who are curious/clueless as to what overtones are - they sound amazing, believe me! Just listen to the end of the piece - or the whole thing - it's all great, anyways. **

http(colon, backslash X2)www(dot)youtube(dot)com(backslash)watch?v=ooNvbg4dKNM


	33. Have Your Little One Back

**Hey! I'm on a Little One frenzy, haha! Enjoy the chapter everyone. :-)**

* * *

Zhymmia stared in horror. It couldn't be possible. _How could they have found them? _

She didn't know what to do. Terror froze her in place. She felt so helpless and vulnerable and she _hated_ it, but her fear held her firmly in place.

TIE fighters began to exit the Star Destroyers, their piercing scream echoing in the night air. The sound tore Zhymmia out of her stupor and she quickly ran inside.

No one had yet noticed the issues outside because of the music. Everyone was still dancing and smiling. Seeing their cheerful faces, Zhymmia suddenly felt so alienated from them, but that thought quickly left her mind as she shoved through the crowd, not caring that she was supposed to be silent because of her veil right now.

Zhymmia caught sight of Obi-Wan first and ran to him. "Obi-Wan! Obi-Wan they're here! They found us!"

"It's all right," he said softly, placing calming hands on her shoulders. She could feel him trembling, though. "Zhymmia, get the others while I search for Anakin and Padmé."

Zhymmia nodded and then ran to find the others.

* * *

Padmé held Anakin tightly. He was terrified, trembling horribly. She heard him call out "kichita", but she wasn't sure what it meant. She had heard the others talking about it, though; it stumped them all. That was the least of her concerns, though; while she still hadn't gotten a straight answer out of Anakin as to who "he" was, she had a rather good idea, and the prospect was not pleasant. It left _her_ trembling as well.

Padmé felt Anakin's shivers cease however. His quick breathing slowed as he seemed to be finally calming, but his muscles were tenser than ever. Padmé felt his grip on her tighten, but it wasn't from fear – it was from anger. She could feel it coursing through him – a rage and lust for blood that she felt when he had hugged her on Mustafar.

"Anakin…?" Padmé said hesitantly.

Anakin slowly pulled away from her, his eyes flaming red but calm. It looked demonic, and it made Padmé jump. Anakin flinched and the look vanished, but though his eyes were blue once again, they were cold and hard, still harboring a rage.

"I'm going after him," he said quietly.

Anakin leapt out of bed and threw his clothes on quickly before tossing Padmé hers. "Get dressed. You won't want to be here when the stormtroopers arrive."

Padmé quickly dressed herself and ran out of the room. "Anakin, wait! What do you mean when the stormtroopers arrive? They don't know we're here!"

Anakin whirled around to face her, startling her, but his anger wasn't directed at her. "Oh you'd better believe they know we're here, otherwise Palpatine wouldn't have suddenly decided to drop in on Taris. He must have caught a glimpse of me through the Force…"

Shaking his head, Anakin turned to walk away.

"Anakin!" Padmé called out to him.

Anakin didn't stop. Padmé ran after him, leaving the apartment in her mourning outfit. Perhaps Anakin should have thrown a better thing for her to wear – running in a gown was _not_ easy.

Or maybe that was done on purpose – Anakin was getting far ahead of her, after all.

Growling in exasperation, Padmé grabbed a hold of her long dress and ran as hard as she could towards Anakin, but it was no use; she lost him in the crowds.

* * *

Obi-Wan ran as fast as he could without trying to look like he was as panicked as he felt.

How did Palpatine find them so quickly? He must have sensed Anakin, and Anakin's panicked call for Obi-Wan probably was felt by Palpatine too, even if the latter couldn't quite distinguish its purpose. Obi-Wan would have been exasperated with Anakin for doing such a rash act, but he had a feeling that it was probably just that instinct he had developed as "Little One" – to automatically call out to the others for help whenever he got stressed or panicked.

Now the question was just finding him.

Obi-Wan had hoped that when Anakin and Padmé left they would talk out their problems since they would be alone together, so he didn't find any need to follow them. He certainly regretted that now.

It seemed that the Force was with him, however, because he quickly caught sight of a flash of black and sensed a rabid anger that he had felt on Mustafar and on Nihoma when Anakin first remembered.

Running into the darker street that Anakin had just entered, Obi-Wan caught up to him and quickly grabbed the boy's arm.

"Let _go_," Anakin snarled, trying to get Obi-Wan off him.

"Anakin, calm down," Obi-Wan tried to say calmly, but it came out as a bark when Anakin shoved him.

"Calm down?" Anakin looked at him disbelievingly. "How can I be calm? This is all my fault!"

"Anakin, no one saw this coming,"

Anakin growled and began to pace. Obi-Wan could sense the conflict in him – having that experience as Little One had really messed with his head and way of thinking. He still had the rage and twisted views of Darth Vader, but they conflicted with Little One's innocent and childlike thoughts, and the conflict was driving Anakin insane.

Trying to get Anakin to calm himself so he could see reason, Obi-Wan asked, "How is this your fault? Did you call out to Palpatine?"

"No, but—"

"Then I don't see how you can be blamed for this," Obi-Wan cut in.

Sighing in frustration, Anakin leaned against the wall of a building as TIE fighters screamed overhead. "Don't you get it Obi-Wan? It's _me_ he wants, and I've led him right to Rowan's home! They shouldn't get involved in this – they can't handle Palpatine!"

"You can't handle him, either," Obi-Wan reminded Anakin.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Anakin snapped. "I'm powerful enough to handle him by myself!"

"Anakin, your physical power and power in the Force are _not_ what are in question here," Obi-Wan sighed. "Your mental and emotional ability to handle it_ is_."

"I can handle it just _fine_,"

"No, Anakin, you can't," Obi-Wan said firmly. "The moment you sensed him, you grew afraid, and that's _understandable_, but where the problem comes is that you acted on that fear and panicked. It's natural for you to react that way right now – it's how you would've reacted had you been amnesiac still. However, we can't take that risk while fighting Palpatine."

"_We?"_ Anakin looked at Obi-Wan. "Since when did this become a team effort?"

"The only team effort we need to concern ourselves with is getting out of here," Obi-Wan stressed.

"I can't _leave_, Obi-Wan," Anakin objected. "Even if you don't want me to fight, I still can't leave. Palpatine came here looking for _me_ and he will never, _never_ stop until he finds me. I don't want the others to get any more involved than they already are. Believe me, things are bad enough for them right now – they're already in _danger_ of getting executed with a high probability of it happening if they're caught. I don't want it to be a _certainty_!"

There it was: Anakin's need to keep everyone safe. Goodness, no wonder the boy was so conflicted; he had _three_ different ways of thinking clashing with each other.

This wasn't the time to be confronting that, however. "Anakin, they chose to get themselves into this and they're choosing to stay in it. They know the consequences. Now let's go before we _do_ put them in danger."

"I _can't_!" Anakin yelled. "I'm not running and hiding from him anymore!"

"You _have_ to run!" Obi-Wan yelled back, finally losing his patience. "You cannot handle him! What is your _plan_, Anakin? Are you just going to go up to him and expect him to welcome you back? Or are you going to run up and simply start fighting him and expect to win? Anakin, you have to _think_!"

Anakin had paused, his face paling. Obi-Wan sensed fear course through him and then he looked Obi-Wan dead in the eye. "I am thinking, Obi-Wan."

Anakin looked hard at Obi-Wan, his eyes softening, before he looked away. "I don't want to, though…"

Obi-Wan finally caught his meaning, particularly after he looked at Obi-Wan pleadingly and said, "Kichita…"

"Oh, I don't like this," Obi-Wan shook his head, but what was there to do? If Palpatine _had_ to get Anakin back, this was the safest way to do it.

Approaching Anakin slowly, Obi-Wan reached out and placed his hand on Anakin's head, pulling him to the ground to sit in front of him. Even though it had been Anakin's idea, Anakin still tried to get away, hating and fearing the idea more and more.

"It'll be fine, Anakin," Obi-Wan said softly. "But you have to let me into your mind or this will hurt you."

"I'd much rather fight him…" Anakin said, but his voice no longer trembled from rage – it was fear.

"I know you would," Obi-Wan chuckled softly. "Now let me do this."

Anakin let out a raspy sigh, shivering noticeably, and then he closed his eyes, leaning forward until he was practically in Obi-Wan's arms. Obi-Wan smoothed his hand over Anakin's forehead and then closed his own eyes, concentrating.

* * *

Zhymmia had managed to get Ryatsi, Ton, and Rowan so far, but she was still having difficulty finding the others. She then caught sight of Numel.

Running towards him, Zhymmia grabbed his sleeve. Numel jumped and turned around before raising a questioning eyebrow at Zhymmia. "I didn't think you'd want to dance with _me_."

"Shut up, you murglak," Zhymmia snapped. Then she hissed, _"Palpatine's here!"_

The amused and flirtatious twinkle in Numel's eyes vanished and was replaced with horror. _"What?"_

"Just find the others and tell them!" Zhymmia shoved Numel in the opposite direction. _"Move!"_

* * *

It had been such a good day. Ryatsi _had_ been enjoying herself quite thoroughly until Numel found her and told her that Palpatine's fleet had arrived.

Panting as she ran, Ryatsi fled towards the city to get to the apartment. It seemed the logical place to meet so everyone could gather some supplies and then get the blazes out of there.

She felt her skin prickle and her lungs sting from the cold biting air as she raced through the city. She also felt her nerves tie her stomach in a knot as she grew hopelessly lost.

Ryatsi turned a sharp corner, entering a dark alley. Realizing what a bad idea _that_ was, she was about to turn and leave when she recognized Obi-Wan and _Anakin_ sitting on the floor.

Obi-Wan had his hand on Anakin's forehead. The distance between the two wasn't much; it seemed like Anakin had been trying to hug him as if it would get rid of the Imperials, but Ryatsi had no idea what they were doing now. Both men had their eyes closed and were breathing deeply, and, unnervingly, at the same time. Anakin let out a small moan and then Obi-Wan opened his eyes, pulling his hand away.

Anakin collapsed into his arms.

Ryatsi ran forward. "What happened? What's going on? What did you do to him?"

Obi-Wan blinked and then frowned, apparently trying to get his wits about him. He then gently placed Anakin on the ground and stood. "What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to get back to the apartment," Ryatsi replied suspiciously, still wanting an answer. "What did you do to him?"

Obi-Wan looked up as more TIE fighters flew overhead. He then hastily reached into his robe and pulled out a blaster, tossing it to a completely stunned and baffled Ryatsi, who barely caught it.

"Shoot me!" he hissed with urgency.

Ryatsi stared at him. Had he lost his mind? _"What?"_

"Ryatsi, you have to trust me," Obi-Wan said. "Whatever happens, you have to stay with Anakin. He'll need you more than ever right now, but just you – you're a doctor, you can get away with it. Stay with him and don't engage the Imperials; let them capture you."

"Are you _mad_?" Ryatsi gaped.

"Take care of Anakin," Obi-Wan continued, ignoring her comment. "Tell the Imperials as much truth as you can – Palpatine can read your mind, Ryatsi, so don't hide anything front him except for your non-Imperial involvement with Anakin. Do you understand?"

"What—how can you—"

"_Do you understand what I'm telling you?"_ Obi-Wan interrupted urgently.

"I understand your _words_ but certainly not your _meaning_—"

"That's good enough, then," Obi-Wan interrupted. "Now shoot me, and the moment you do, grab Anakin and get out of here, but _don't run from the Imperials if they see you._"

"Obi-Wan, I can't _shoot_ you—"

"Ryatsi, _do it_!"

"No!" Ryatsi looked at him in horror. He really had lost his mind. "I'm not going to shoot you! What is _wrong_ with you? What's wrong with _Anakin_?"

"I had to erase his memory," Obi-Wan quickly explained, nearly making Ryatsi drop the blaster – her jaw certainly dropped. "He can't be around Palpatine with his memories; Palpatine will read into his mind like an open book. If he doesn't remember anything, it's a clean slate. It's safer that way, and Palpatine won't try to hurt him if he wants him to stay alive."

Obi-Wan looked at her grimly. "You have your Little One back. Now _shoot_!"

"I can't kill you!" Ryatsi shook her head.

"It's on _stun_, Ryatsi, it's just so you can say you got Anakin away from the others!"

"_What?"_

"Ryatsi!" Obi-Wan yelled.

Ryatsi raised the blaster and, grimacing and closing her eyes after taking aim, pulled the trigger.

She heard the grinding sound of a stun blast make its way out of the weapon and then heard Obi-Wan fall to the ground. Opening her eyes, she gasped and ran over to him, checking for injuries. He was fine.

Ryatsi sighed in relief and then looked at Anakin. Obi-Wan… Obi-Wan had _wiped his memory_?

"_You have your Little One back."_

_No_, Ryatsi thought. This wasn't right. This was so messed up – Anakin didn't deserve to be stuck like this again. Sure, he had been adorable and trusting and kind, but… but this was _wrong_!

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the familiar sound of armored boots hitting the ground. "Did you hear that? It sounded like a stun blast."

Ryatsi shook Anakin roughly. "Anakin, get up,"

Anakin moaned and stirred, his eyes opening slowly to reveal a blank expression. He looked around, confused.

Ryatsi spared him no time to get readjusted. She grabbed his arm and dragged him to a standing position. If she was going to get caught by the Imperials for some _insane_ Jedi reason, she at least wouldn't let the Imperials see Obi-Wan. She had to get out of the alley and get the Imperials away from here.

Making sure she had a firm grip on Anakin's hand, Ryatsi ran out of the alley, making as much noise as she could while doing so. It didn't take much – after _that_ fiasco she was panting for air.

Anakin was completely confused and disoriented, simply going wherever Ryatsi took him.

The sound of the stormtroopers' footsteps grew closer until Ryatsi turned the corner and they were pointing their blasters at her head.

* * *

Padmé looked everywhere, but there was no sign of her husband, and now that stormtroopers were beginning to make themselves known, she really needed to avoid their attention. Frustration and fear coursed through her – where was Anakin?

She was just about ready to give up when she saw Capt. Mentzer and Rowan, who were running towards her.

"Have you seen Anakin?" she asked them breathlessly.

"No," Rowan shook his head. "But we'd better get back to the apartment so we can regroup."

"That's probably not a great idea," Padmé quickly said. "Anakin told me that the Imperials probably know that we're staying at your apartment and so we should avoid it."

"If he said all that to you, then why are you asking us where he is?" Capt. Mentzer inquired.

"Because I lost him in the crowds," Padmé sighed. "I have to find him – he ran off in a frenzy like he was bent on killing Palpatine himself."

Rowan placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll help you find him."

* * *

Stormtroopers were everywhere. It was a miracle they hadn't been noticed yet.

"This way's clear," Jifo whispered to Ress, motioning for him to follow.

The two ran through the alley, Jifo leading the way. He ran to the other end and peeked around. There were stormtroopers approaching. "Blast it,"

Jifo was distracted when he heard Ress trip and fall to the ground. He quickly looked back at the clone trooper. "Are you alright?"

"Fine, but someone's—"

Ress paused. "Sir, it's Gen. Kenobi!"

"What?" Jifo ran over to Ress and kneeled beside him, seeing the Jedi Master unconscious on the ground. "What happened?"

"It looks like a stun bolt, sir," Ress answered as he examined the Jedi.

"But if they stunned him why didn't they take him prisoner?" Jifo stuttered. "This doesn't make any sense…"

"Did you hear something?" a voice asked, recognizable as that of a stormtrooper since it was filtered through a helmet.

"There's no time to ask those questions here, sir," Ress shook his head. "Let's get out of here."

The two hauled Obi-Wan into their arms and quickly waddled/ran away from the scene.

* * *

Where was he? Things were certainly cold here. He shivered and hovered closer to the panicky lady. She was jumpy, but she was definitely better than those weird guys in plastic. And what were those things they were pointing at them?

"We surrender!" the panicky woman quickly said, throwing her hands in the air, which also dragged his left arm into the air. He stared at her and then looked at his right arm. Should he put it up too? "Look, I have Lord Vader with me right here – we need to speak to your superiors immediately!"

"Lord Vader?" the plastic guy sounded confused. _He_ was confused too. What was Lord Vader? What was this all about?

"Just call your superiors," the panicky lady said.

The plastic guys looked at each other, uncertainty swimming between them. He was uncertain too. He was confused. Why was the panicky lady so panicky? Why did those weird guys wear plastic? Why was it so _cold_? And why weren't the others feeling the cold too?

One of the plastic guys grabbed something on his belt and talked to it. "Sir, we have a woman who claims to have Lord Vader with her. She identifies positive as one of the missing members of Death Squadron."

_Huh?_

He would ask what was going on, but he didn't know how.

"Bring them aboard the ship," the tiny thing said.

What did any of this mean? He would try and figure it out but those weird plastic guys scared him. He didn't like them at all. He wasn't even sure about the panicky lady. He just knew he liked her more.

The plastic guys pointed the weird things in their hands at him and the panicky lady and said, "Move it."

* * *

"This way!" Jan called.

Moeema and Carh'la followed her as she ran through winding alleys to get them to the apartment safely. The moment they had heard about the fleet they all had decided to meet there before fleeing the planet.

Moeema could only imagine what Jan must have been going through as they ran. She could imagine a million different frightening thoughts were blowing through the woman's mind. They were certainly going through _Moeema's_ head.

She hoped Anakin was alright. Rowan and Capt. Mentzer had gone to find him and Padmé.

Moeema clutched the stitch in her side as frost came out of her mouth; gasping for air in the frigid cold was never a pleasant sensation. Carh'la coughed beside her.

The familiar apartment building came into view, towering over them as they ran.

* * *

"Stang this is bad,"

Shiine already knew about the fleet that had arrived, but he had volunteered to help Zhymmia and Numel find Kobayashi, Marrax, and Ooke, who were still somewhere in the throngs of the party. The only issue now was that people were beginning to grow restless as rumor spread that stormtroopers were on their way. There was no doubt in Shiine's mind that these rumors would reach sociable people like Kobayashi, Marrax, and Ooke, but the question was what they would do when they found out. Would they start searching for the others or would they try to get out as quickly as they could?

"Where are they?" Numel hissed.

The fidgety crowds all jumped alongside the Imperials when the door was kicked open and stormtroopers entered. "Nobody leave the building,"

* * *

Jan led the other two as the turbolift doors opened. Worry riddled her mind as she walked down the hallway, fiddling with the card key that would open the apartment door. Where were the others? Rowan and Capt. Mentzer had volunteered to search for young Vader and his wife, but Jan had expected to see at least _one_ other Imperial. However, so far, they hadn't seen anyone.

What were they going to do? Jan wished beyond belief that this whole issue had never happened, but wishing that made her feel guilty. She wasn't sure how things worked out in this galaxy, but she could imagine it was a miserable existence to be Darth Vader before this began. Still… did _Rowan_ have to get involved?

Sighing, Jan put the card key into the slot and waited as the door opened. She motioned for Carh'la and Moeema to hurry up and then rushed inside, waiting for them to enter before closing the door.

Jan ran to the kitchen to grab supplies so they could get out as quickly as possible, but she froze in mid step when she entered the threshold of the room.

"Hi Mother," Raltharen said as he leaned against the counter sipping a glass of water.

* * *

Jifo and Ress groaned as they placed Obi-Wan on the ground for what seemed the hundredth time. Jifo leaned back, placing his hands on his lower back and sighing. "Any sign of stormtroopers nearby?"

"No, sir," Ress answered after pausing a moment to investigate.

Jifo slowly bent down, ignoring his aching back, and shook the Jedi Master. "Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan, wake up!"

Obi-Wan stirred a little, but he was still rather out of it. Jifo shook him again, but Ress hissed, "Sir, someone's coming!"

Jifo moaned in exasperation and wrapped his arms around the Jedi's torso while Ress picked up his legs and the two were on their way again.

The two continued, going to the edge of the city. Jifo realized he started recognizing the area. "Oh, blast… Ress, we're going in circles. That's the beach pathway that leads to the dance!"

"Yes, sir," Ress nodded, sounding nervous. "And I think that party's been canceled,"

"What?" Jifo twisted around so he could see what Ress was talking about and saw a group of stormtroopers surrounding the large building where the dance was taking place. "I hope everyone got out…"

Obi-Wan shifted a little, moaning. Jifo and Ress immediately returned their attention to him. "Obi-Wan?"

"I don't think he'll be fully awake for a while," Ress surmised. "But it's probably best we get out of here anyway – there are too many stormtroopers around here."

Jifo nodded. "Right… let's just see if we can get out of the city."

* * *

Ryatsi had studied many rare diseases in her years in medical school. She had originally wanted to be a pediatric trauma surgeon and had therefore studied pediatric diseases as well. One of these diseases was called hyperneurofibrae afferentes, more commonly known as EPS, or extreme pain sensitivity. It affected both full grown and pediatric patients, but could be more harmful the younger the patient was. Ryatsi remembered she had one patient, a pediatric patient when she was serving as the resident doctor of the pediatric intensive care unit at her hospital, who was suffering from this disorder due to brain trauma that affected the nervous system. The patient was extremely sensitive to touch, and even blowing on the boy's skin caused him to flinch in pain.

Well right now she felt like _she_ had hyperneurofibrae afferentes. Just standing aboard the shuttle going to the Star Destroyer _Conqueror_, the flagship for the emperor's fleet, made her feel like someone was putting red hot knives into every part of her body. She knew it was extreme stress from the situation, but now she could really sympathize with that patient of hers.

Anakin stood extremely close to her, holding her hand tightly. Every time a stormtrooper would look in his direction the lights would flicker, and Ryatsi would feel those hot knives all the more.

Sweat began to form on her forehead, and she did her best to relax. If she was going to pull this off she had to look the part as well as play it. She needed to make sure that she didn't get herself killed. At this point, she was the only one who could look after Anakin now that they were in the clutches of the emperor himself.

The shuttle shuddered and bounced as it landed in the hangar and the stormtroopers prodded Ryatsi and Anakin with their blasters, telling them to move.

Ryatsi led Anakin down the ramp where more stormtroopers waited to escort them wherever they were supposed to go.

_Breathe, Ryatsi…_ she told herself. _Just breathe…_

Anakin's grip tightened as they walked through the hangar, but he didn't say a word. Ryatsi didn't even know if he _could_ say a word.

This was so messed up.

The two were led to a turbolift and stood in silence alongside the stormtroopers as it sped to whatever deck the superior officer would be waiting on. Anakin's grip tightened some more.

When they arrived, the doors hissed open and Ryatsi saw that the hallway only led to one door. Were they on the observation deck?

The stormtroopers led them through the door, and Ryatsi froze.

"Emperor Palpatine, we've brought the prisoners," one of the stormtroopers said.

* * *

**Please review. :-)**


	34. Fallen Soldier

**Sorry for the late update... (I should patten that phrase. -_- ) I'm offering a nice long chapter as an apology/peace offering. :) Enjoy!**

* * *

He sat, staring. Never before had he been struck this speechless, this shocked, this completely bewildered. But here he was, sitting there, not able to say a word.

All he could think was, _"What?"_

Darth Vader stood before him, not in the suit that had come to define him and his identity to the galaxy, but as he stood before Palpatine when he was first dubbed Lord Vader five years ago. Force, he even _felt_ like he was twenty-two years old again.

Palpatine managed to at least gesture for the prisoners to be brought forth, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Vader. How was this even possible?

As the initial shock began to wear off, however, more interesting ideas began to appear in his thoughts… and more questions.

"Who are you?" he asked the woman who seemed to be leading Vader around.

"Dr. Ryatsi Tunbaoth, Your Imperial Majesty," she said in a trembling voice. "I… I've been taking care of Lord Vader."

Palpatine could sense that she wasn't lying, but it felt more like a twist of the truth. He would know quite a bit about that maneuver. Still, he heard her out. "How did Lord Vader come to look like this?"

This time, he could tell the answer was genuine and honest. "I'm afraid I have no idea, sire. I ran tests on him myself and I haven't found anything that can explain it. But this is Lord Vader, sire; I took a blood sample from him when he was first brought aboard the _Executor_ like this and it confirmed that it's him."

"Why were you not with the rest of Death Squadron on Nihoma?"

"There was… a group, Your Imperial Majesty," Dr. Tunbaoth said hesitantly, not really wanting to admit whatever it was. "A group of Imperials that took care of Lord Vader… I was among them. They were… _hesitant_ to allow Lord Vader to interact with others besides those he was familiar with. He's completely amnesiac as I'm sure Your Imperial Majesty can gather. He has no idea who he is or what he's doing here, and so… we… _they_ thought it best to keep him from the rest of the galaxy until he was properly reeducated."

"And therefore you deemed it worthy to flee from my fleet," Palpatine said, entwining his fingers and watching the doctor squirm.

"_I_ didn't deem it, sire," Dr. Tunbaoth hastily replied. "The others did. They didn't want him… near you."

"I see,"

"Your Imperial Majesty, I beg you, allow me to stay with Lord Vader," Dr. Tunbaoth suddenly said. "He… he doesn't know how to interact with others and he's comfortable with me."

Palpatine waved a dismissive hand. "For the time being you can be his main physician. Now take him to medical quarters and run some more tests on him. I want to know what happened."

The doctor seemed surprised that he allowed her to live so easily, but she bowed and took Vader out of the room nonetheless. Palpatine then regarded the head of the stormtrooper troupe that had brought the two before him. "I want those missing Imperials killed… and their families as well."

The stormtrooper saluted him and exited, and Palpatine leaned back in his throne. Whatever had happened to Vader was certainly surprising, but very useful as well. He finally had his powerful apprentice back in full force… with a few mental difficulties that could be easily adjusted. He would allow the boy to be babied by the doctor until he could speak again, and then Palpatine would mold him to the perfect apprentice… the faithful apprentice.

Oh, Palpatine remembered the days of Skywalker's healthier years, when he was ripe with passion, anger, hatred… it had dulled as he had been deprived of the passion that drove him, but now it would return in full force.

* * *

Jifo and Ress finally collapsed after getting out of the city. Taris stood sparkling in the distance as the false dawn began to make itself known in the sky.

"What is it with us and having bad nights?" Jifo muttered, recalling the incident on Nihoma. "Can we just have a peaceful night… you know, a _handful_ of them, _without_ something going wrong?"

Ress chuckled. "You should just be thankful it's lasted this long, sir."

"That's not very helpful," Jifo sighed.

Obi-Wan stirred and moaned again, but the two didn't pay him much mind. He had been in the process of awakening from the stun bolt ever since they had left the outskirts of the city.

Ress and Jifo jumped as a voice suddenly began talking out of Ress' tunic. Jifo raised an eyebrow. "Eh, what exactly is that? Are you carrying a comlink?"

"Yes, sir," Ress answered as he pulled out his comlink. "And I think it's picking up a signal from the fleet."

"Perfect," Jifo clapped his hands together. "What are they saying? Are they ordering our deaths just yet? And what kind of person takes their military comlink to a lovers' dance, anyway?"

"I'm always prepared for everything, sir," Ress replied and then he turned up the volume so the two could listen to the transmission.

"…and their families are to be executed upon sight. Kill anyone who gets in your way."

Jifo and Ress looked at each other. "I have a bad feeling about this."

* * *

"Raltharen, what are you doing here?"

Carh'la jumped as she heard Jan nearly squeak that question, breathless with horror. Moeema looked over at the kitchen in horror as well. "Oh, no…"

The two women rushed into the kitchen to see a young man with his father's lightly tanned skin, dark brown hair, which was fluffy like Jan's, and his mother's ultramarine blue eyes. He stood tall, young, and lean, one arm perched atop the other, holding a glass of water.

"Mother, what's wrong?" he asked. "I mean, I know you weren't expecting me, but…"

Raltharen trailed away as he noticed Carh'la and Moeema. He slowly put the cup on the counter and then looked back at his mother with dawning comprehension.

"What _has_ father done?" he asked her quietly with a slight tremble to his voice. "Why are you so afraid to look at me?"

"Raltharen, you shouldn't be here," Jan said, looking away.

The tense conversation was interrupted when Carh'la heard the sound of armored boots in the hallway outside. Realization and dread filled her as she made the connection. Moeema, Jan, and Raltharen heard the noises as well. Raltharen stared at his mother, looking genuinely scared.

"Mother…" he muttered.

Carh'la and Moeema looked around wildly for some sort of different exit they could use as Jan couldn't even bear to look at her son. Raltharen, on the other hand, just looked sad and confused. Unshed tears glittered in his eyes, and then he addressed Carh'la and Moeema. "Get my mother out of here, please."

Jan jumped, looking at her son. "What? Ralth, what are you talking about?"

Carh'la and Moeema exchanged grim glances before looking at Raltharen and nodding. "Don't worry; we'll take care of her."

Raltharen nodded in return. Carh'la waited at the edge of the kitchen while Moeema gently grabbed Jan's arm. "Jan, we need to go. _Now_."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand. Ralth, what are you talking about?" Jan asked, but Carh'la surmised that a part of Jan could tell what was going on since her voice was rising in alarm, forcing Moeema to cup her hand over the woman's mouth.

"Let's go," Carh'la said, leaving the kitchen. Moeema and Jan followed while Raltharen remained.

"Jan, we need to know if there's another exit out of the apartment," Carh'la said in a calm tone. "Can you tell us that?"

Moeema lowered her hand and Jan stuttered, "W-well, yes, there's—there's the emergency escape exit… b-but it's through the window in the back…"

"Show us the way," Carh'la ordered.

* * *

Raltharen leaned against the counter of the kitchen, unable to stand properly just yet.

So the rumors were true. His father was a traitor. What had he done? Why did he do it? Raltharen ached to see his father, but he knew now that he wouldn't. Not with stormtroopers banging on the apartment door. That only meant one thing.

Gripping his blaster firmly, Raltharen took his steps slowly out of the kitchen, looking at the surroundings. He had never gotten time to settle into this place; he had been on tour in the Mid Rim when his mother had bought it and moved in.

Taking a shaky but deep breath, Raltharen hoped that whatever his father had turned traitor for, it was a good reason. His father owed him that much, at least.

* * *

Moeema was helping Jan out the window when she heard the front door get blasted open. Immediately, she heard blaster fire and things shattering. Carh'la, who had all of the important possessions of the group – such as Obi-Wan's lightsaber and everyone's comlinks – in a duffel bag slung over her shoulder, gripped the window so tightly her knuckles turned white.

A stormtrooper cried out in pain as he was shot. The look on Jan's face made Moeema want to cry out, and she knew Jan was on the verge of doing so, but she pushed the woman onto the ladder outside the window and then looked at Carh'la.

"You go next," Carh'la shook her head.

Moeema nodded solemnly and climbed onto the ladder. As Carh'la began to climb, they heard a young voice cry out in pain, and Moeema literally had to wrestle with Jan to keep her from running back into the apartment.

* * *

"_It'll be fine, Anakin,"_

"_I'd much rather fight him…"_

"_I know you would. Now let me do this."_

He moaned groggily as reality began to seep back into his mind. Foggy sounds could be heard, but he couldn't make sense of them yet.

"_What's wrong with Anakin?"_

"_I had to erase his memory. He can't be around Palpatine with his memories; Palpatine will read into his mind like an open book."_

Now voices were beginning to make themselves known, but they still didn't make any sense to his addled mind.

"We have to warn them! If they go back to the apartment, it will be a trap."

"Sir, with respect, we can't. We'd have to run through the city carrying Gen. Kenobi everywhere, and that would attract all Imperial attention to us. _We_ would be the trap."

Obi-Wan shifted, his eyes fluttering open. He remained still after doing so. The words, sights, and sensations still weren't quite coming together to form a coherent picture.

"I hate just sitting around,"

"I know, sir. I don't like it much either."

Those voices… they sounded like Jifo and Ress…

Where was Anakin?

"_You have your Little One back."_

Oh. Right.

"Stang," Obi-Wan cursed softly.

He really hated this situation more and more. And Obi-Wan rarely hated anything.

"Gen. Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan blinked and looked over at a familiar face dressed in formal robes. "Ress…?"

"Sir, do you think you could stand?" Ress asked urgently.

It took Obi-Wan a moment to register the question, and then he answered. "Probably…"

"Good," Ress nodded and slipped an arm around Obi-Wan to help him stand up. After doing so, Ress released his grip and Obi-Wan felt his world spinning. He wobbled on his feet, shifting his stance to ensure he didn't fall. When the nausea began to fade away, Obi-Wan managed a nod to the trooper, which was when he noticed Jifo standing there as well.

"It's good to see you two got out all right," Obi-Wan muttered before asking, "Where are the others?"

"We don't know," Jifo shook his head. "But we suspect they're going to head for the apartment."

"Then let's go," Obi-Wan said quickly. "We don't have time to waste; the Imperials will no doubt show up there eventually."

"That's just the thing, sir," Ress interrupted. "We heard orders being given to the ground forces that we and our relations are to be killed."

Obi-Wan looked at them in horror. "We can't waste any time then, let's find the others and _go_!"

"Wait!" Jifo steadied Obi-Wan. "Do you have any idea where Anakin is?"

Obi-Wan looked at the Imperial, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get a word out.

* * *

Padmé trotted alongside Rowan and Ton as the three tried to appear as if they weren't fleeing for their lives from the Imperial forces storming the city.

Rowan sighed heavily. "I haven't seen a single sign of him."

"He has to be here somewhere," Ton insisted. "Lord Vader has many talents, but disappearing off the face of the planet can't be one of them."

Rowan barked a laugh. "I beg to differ,"

Padmé was about to comment when she and the other two heard "Psst!" from a nearby alley.

Padmé, Ton, and Rowan whirled around to see Zhymmia. "Zhymmia! Where are the others?"

"They're a few paces back, but they're okay," Zhymmia replied quickly. "Get in here before the stormtroopers recognize you!"

The trio quickly rushed into the dark alley, disappearing into the shadows. Zhymmia dragged them deeper into the alley until they nearly ran headfirst into Shiine and Kobayashi.

"What about the rest?" Ton demanded.

Zhymmia shook her head breathlessly. "I don't know, captain. Numel and Marrax were in the building with us when stormtroopers took possession of it, but we three managed to sneak out. We couldn't find them."

"Any idea where the others might be?" Rowan asked.

"They had already left the building," Shiine replied. "I don't know where they could be. It's possible they're trying to rendezvous at the apartment. We should probably go there."

Padmé shook her head. "It's too risky; Anakin said that the apartment is probably not the safest places right now."

"Anakin?" Kobayashi sounded surprised. "You were with him? Where is he, then?"

Padmé sighed heavily. "He took off. We've been searching for him. I suppose you wouldn't know where he is since you didn't even know he was with me."

All three Imperials shook their heads. Rowan leaned against the wall, sighing heavily and worriedly. "Do you know if my wife was still in the building?"

"No, we don't," Shiine shook his head. "I'm sorry."

"Quiet!" Ton hissed. The others immediately went silent and Padmé heard stormtroopers marching in their direction.

She dearly wished she had a blaster right now.

* * *

"You're not making any sense,"

Ryatsi rolled her eyes. "_He doesn't like being in the medical wing_. How much simpler can I explain that?"

Ryatsi had been trying to explain to the doctor that Anakin would _not_ want to be poked and prodded by anybody, let alone a complete stranger. Ryatsi had a gut feeling that Anakin seemed to still recognize her somehow seeing as he stuck to her side wherever she went, so it would make things easier if _she _did the examination the emperor so desired. Unfortunately, the doctor seemed to think that she would tamper with the results, and so he was bent on doing the tests himself.

"I understand that he doesn't like the medical wing," the doctor said, folding his arms in an uncompromising manner. "What I don't understand is why you keep stalling these tests. His Imperial Majesty wants these examinations done, and _I_ will be doing them. This discussion will go no further."

"You're going to terrify him!" Ryatsi argued.

"That will not ruin the test results," the doctor spoke as security guards pulled Ryatsi away from the bed where Anakin sat nervously.

The doctor approached Anakin, pulling out a syringe that would be used to draw some blood. Anakin grew paler by the second even though the doctor was halfway across the room. The moment the doctor was two steps away, Anakin leapt off the bed and kneed the nearest trooper who tried to restrain him.

Ryatsi shoved her way out of the security guards' grip and tried to get near Anakin, but he was too scared. Instead of letting her near him, he simply smacked her down like the rest.

Groaning, Ryatsi revised her previous thought about him recognizing her.

* * *

"You did _what_?"

Jifo gaped at the Jedi. What was he _thinking_? He delivered Anakin right over to Palpatine? _He wiped his memory?_ They were making _progress_!

Obi-Wan looked miserable with what he did, leading Jifo to wonder why the hell he had even done it. Shaking his head angrily, Jifo demanded, "What were you thinking?"

Obi-Wan remained silent, just shaking his head in agony as his eyes clouded. Jifo growled, kicking the dirt. They had risked their lives to keep Anakin safe and now the Jedi Master had essentially handed him over to the emperor on a silver platter!

Whirling to face Obi-Wan again, Jifo nearly roared, _"What is the matter with you?"_

As this was going on, Ress was adjusting his comlink to a coded frequency so he could try to listen in on more conversations between stormtroopers and officers. As he listened while Jifo fumed, Ress said, "Sir, there's a report coming in from the Alkahen District. A squad seems to have found some of our colleagues in an alleyway and is pursuing them."

Immediately forgetting his anger at Obi-Wan, Jifo looked worriedly at Ress as Obi-Wan leapt to his feet. "What?"

"We need to get there before they're captured," Obi-Wan interjected.

"You mean like Anakin?" Jifo snapped.

"Does either of you even know where the Alkahen District is?" Ress asked.

Jifo was silenced by Ress' question and Obi-Wan sighed as they both looked at the clone with a clueless expression.

"Great," Ress stood, pocketing his comlink. "Any suggestions?"

"Well," Obi-Wan crossed his arms. "I suppose we could ask the locals."

* * *

"I _told_ you morons this wouldn't end well!" Ryatsi snarled as she tried to stem the bleeding on her lip.

Anakin had managed to wreck the medical wing and injure everyone who was either unfortunate enough or stupid enough to get near him. The doctor had a puncture wound from the very syringe he was going to use on Anakin. Despite her anger, Ryatsi felt unnerved as well; she had seen Anakin panic before, but never to this degree. It was almost as if he could sense the animosity in these Imperials.

Moaning, Ryatsi nearly smacked herself. _Of course_ he could sense the animosity.

"Look, just let him calm down," Ryatsi said to the doctor. "It's not going to do anyone any good to get near him right now."

The doctor glared at her irritably and then faced a stormtrooper. "Stun him,"

The stormtrooper nodded. He wasn't thinking it would be a problem; after all, the only two people who knew who this patient really was were Ryatsi and that blasted, moronic, black hearted, twisted, _kriffing_—

Ryatsi's thoughts were interrupted when the stormtrooper took aim. Apparently she didn't actually think he would go through with it. Ryatsi had forgotten that these men weren't from Death Squadron; they didn't know Anakin and wouldn't take it easy on him, particularly since they were directly under the emperor's command. Reaching out her arm, she cried out, "Wait!"

She was too late. The stormtrooper fired off a bolt, but it missed—badly. It wasn't the trooper's aim that was faulty; instead, it was Anakin's speed that caused the bad shot. He had sprinted to the other side of the room in a heartbeat, even causing Ryatsi to gasp and take a step back. His expression was terrified now, and Ryatsi knew what that meant.

The power died.

* * *

"That's odd," Ress muttered, tapping his comlink.

Obi-Wan looked at the trooper as Jifo nervously asked for directions from a local. "What is it?"

"I was listening in on a transmission from the flagship but it just died. All the channels are dead," Ress reported. "Ground-to-ground transmissions are still functioning however, but I think they're experiencing the same difficulties I am. They can't reach their superiors."

Obi-Wan had stopped listening after Ress' first few words of explanation. He didn't need an explanation after all; not when he was feeling his head pound with uncontrollable fear and a twinge of anger. _Oh, Anakin…_

"General?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I think Anakin's taking issue to the fleet's treatment of him. It will certainly keep the ground forces in disarray for a while. Let's hope we can find the others in time."

* * *

Marrax paced anxiously as the stormtroopers sifted through the crowd, checking identities. He had just been found by Numel after hearing the news of the fleet's presence when the stormtroopers had entered the building.

"This is bad, this is bad, this is bad," Numel muttered over and over beside Marrax.

"Are you always this obnoxiously blunt?" Marrax snapped out of anxiety. "I _know_ we're in trouble!"

As Marrax continued to pace, Numel stopped dead in his tracks, catching Marrax's attention. "Now what is it?"

"Something's wrong," Numel said.

Marrax rolled his eyes. _"Really?"_

"No, I mean with the stormtroopers," Numel shook his head irritably. "Look; they're talking to each other; they've stopped their search and they're trying to contact their superiors. I think something's going on with their forces."

"Do you think now could be our chance to get out?" Marrax whispered.

"Well it's now or never," Numel replied, grabbing Marrax by the arm and subtly making his way through the crowd. They paused at the exits; despite the disorder the stormtroopers were in, they were still guarding the door.

"Now what?" Marrax moaned.

"Quiet, I'm thinking," Numel muttered.

Despite the situation, Marrax snorted. "That's new."

Suddenly, there was a yell outside that made everyone in the building jump. The crowd became restless as the stormtroopers tried to figure out what was going on, including the ones guarding the door the two Imperials were standing near.

Numel and Marrax looked at each other, thinking the same thing. They didn't need another moment. The two charged forward and yanked the blaster out of the stormtrooper's hands before throwing his helmet off and smashing his head into the wall. Naturally this caught the people's attention, but the crowd was too thick for the other troopers to see what happened or get to the scene in time to catch the two Imperials as they tore out the door.

Unfortunately, Marrax and Numel quickly discovered that the yell had come from a fight that had already broken out just outside the vicinity of the building. Stormtroopers were firing left and right at the panicked mob, causing Marrax and Numel to leap, twist, and duck out of the way before both were knocked to the ground by the crowd.

Marrax yelled in pain as a foot smacked into his nose, leaving it burning and bleeding. A pair of hands quickly wrenched him to his feet alongside Numel and he whirled around to see Kerrick.

"Come on!" Kerrick hissed, dragging Marrax as Ooke got Numel away from the uproar.

The four stumbled in silence as they drew closer to the main city and farther from the beach. Marrax held his nose as it throbbed painfully and his mind was numb from the insanity of the situation as adrenaline alone kept his legs running as fast as they could. Numel seemed to be in a similar state as he said nothing for a while as well.

Eventually, Kerrick led the three into an alley where they all bent over, panting for breath.

"How did they find us?" Marrax gasped between breaths.

"That doesn't matter anymore," Kerrick shook his head. "What matters is how we're going to get out of here."

"Where are the others?" Numel asked. "I know they got out of the building, but I don't know where they could have gone. Is it possible they went to the apartment to rendezvous?"

Kerrick again shook his head. "No, the apartment's too risky. If the fleet is here coming down hard on Taris it's because they know we're here. The first place they would search is the apartment."

"Great," Numel swore under his breath. "So how are we going to find them?"

"It appears the Imperial forces are in disarray right now," Kerrick noted. "Our best bet is to go outside the city while we can. There's no way we can find the others in this city without any way of communicating with them and while troopers are storming the city looking for us."

"Leave the city?" Ooke looked at Kerrick, appalled. "We can't abandon them!"

"For all we know they could have left as well," Kerrick said. "We don't have much choice in the matter. Now let's go."

Suddenly, a voice interrupted them. "Are you lost?"

Marrax jumped and turned sharply on his heel with the other two to see Obi-Wan standing in the darker part of the alley alongside Ress and Jifo. Marrax breathed a sigh of relief. "It's great to see you guys! How did you find us?"

"The Force," Obi-Wan answered simply as if that made perfect sense to say. Marrax didn't bother asking _how_ the Force found them (he suspected it had to do with Force signature stuff, but he wasn't an expert and quite frankly, he _didn't care right now_).

"Do you know where the others might be?" Kerrick asked.

"They're in the Alkahen District currently," Obi-Wan answered. "And they're being pursued by stormtroopers, so I advise we hurry in that direction. It's not too far from here."

Obi-Wan turned and ran further into the alley, forcing the three winded Imperials to follow him. Marrax moaned a little as his nose ached more and more, but he ignored the pain to the best of his ability.

The group ran through winding alleys for what seemed an eternity to Marrax. His heart beat harshly in his chest, causing him to gasp sharply for air. He _hated_ this feeling. Every corner they turned made Marrax jump as if stormtroopers were waiting just around the bend, ready to shoot them.

As if his imagination were coming to life, Marrax heard blaster shots ricocheting nearby, making him yelp and whirl in the direction they were coming from. He heard people shuffling and running and Obi-Wan immediately tore in that direction, quickly followed by the others.

Marrax saw six figures turn the corner running towards them and he vaguely recognized Zhymmia's slim frame leading the way. Before he could react, Obi-Wan ran faster than he could watch, brushing past the group and thrusting his hand out. The pursuers, a squad of stormtroopers who had just turned the corner behind the group, suddenly flew into the air before slamming into the hard unforgiving wall behind them, at the very least leaving them dazed. Kerrick, Numel, Ooke, Jifo, Ress, and Marrax grabbed their weapons and shot them.

"Thank you," one of them panted.

Marrax saw Rowan, Kobayashi, Padmé, Shiine, and Capt. Mentzer alongside Zhymmia. "Where are the others?"

"We don't know," Padmé shook her head. "We were searching for Anakin when those stormtroopers arrived."

"We have to get out of the city," Jifo said quickly. "Before the fleet lost contact with the ground forces, an order to execute us and anyone related to us was sent through, and—"

"_What?"_ Rowan looked horrified. Jifo froze after being interrupted, apparently just realizing what he had said.

"Rowan, you can't—_Rowan!_" Obi-Wan shouted as the commander immediately took off running in the other direction.

"Where's he going?" Marrax looked at the others.

"Where do you think?" Numel snapped. "Great job, Jifo!"

"I—I didn't—"

"There's no time, let's just go before he gets there!" Padmé interrupted.

"Quickly!" Obi-Wan said, leading the way as they chased Rowan. Marrax still wasn't quite sure where Rowan was going until it belatedly smacked his mind sharply.

"Oh, stang," he cursed, picking up his pace as much as he could.

The group ran in silence, partly out of concentration to catch up to Rowan, but mostly because of the fact that they were completely out of breath. Marrax felt his legs trembling despite the adrenaline keeping them moving. He could tell the others were tiring as well, except for Obi-Wan and Ress, who seemed to be like droids, completely set on their goal and not slowing down for anything. Marrax was still worried about where the others were, particularly Anakin, but they had little choice in the matter right now, and all his energy was being spent on simply trying to keep up with Obi-Wan and Ress let alone Rowan.

As the apartment building came into view, Marrax focused more on simply getting to the apartment and took a deep breath, pushing his legs to the breaking point in order to speed up. Numel, being taller, managed to get ahead of Marrax and Capt. Mentzer was just behind him. Ooke, Kerrick, Jifo, Kobayashi, and Shiine followed them with the ladies just behind them.

The moment they entered, Marrax heard blaster fire. Cursing again, he tried to run faster only to have his chest sear in pain and his legs finally give out as he tripped over a dead stormtrooper. His head was pounding and everything was spinning, leaving him lying on the ground sweating and barely able to breathe. He heard Padmé stoop down beside him, but he pushed her off. "Keep going—I'll be fine."

Padmé nodded and ran ahead, leaving Marrax on the ground alone.

* * *

Padmé managed to make it into the turbolift just before the doors closed, leaving her and the other Imperials some time to breathe and prepare for what was probably going to be quite a skirmish.

"Why did you have to say that?" Numel snapped at Jifo once more.

"Look, I was just reporting it," Jifo snarled in reply, angry at himself as well as Numel. "I get that it was stupid – I don't need _you_ rubbing it in."

"Enough," Ton interrupted harshly.

Padmé leaned against the turbolift wall, her eyes closed. She had to catch her breath; her gut was stinging with each breath she took. As she stood there in silence, she was asked by Kobayashi, "What happened to Marrax?"

"He fell," Padmé replied without opening her eyes. "He said he was fine."

The turbolift was quiet again when another question was asked. "Wait—where's _Obi-Wan_?"

"What?" Padmé opened her eyes and looked around the small space. Obi-Wan wasn't among them. "What happened? He was leading the group!"

"He told me to keep going and he went towards an alley," Ress explained. "Apparently he sensed something."

"This isn't the time for him to be running after everything he senses," Ton grumbled.

"He might have sensed Anakin," Padmé said hopefully.

Jifo huffed, his expression dark. "I doubt it."

Padmé looked at him sharply, knowing he was hiding something. "You've seen Anakin, haven't you? What's happened to him?"

Jifo shook his head. "I haven't seen Anakin, actually. I suppose now isn't the time to say anything more."

Padmé was going to question him further, but the lift slowed to a halt and the doors opened to reveal a hall of dead stormtroopers.

"So much for a battle," Kerrick muttered as he and Ress led the group out of the lift. The two proceeded slowly despite the obvious lack of opponents. Shiine and Numel followed them closely with Kobayashi, and then Jifo and Zhymmia. Padmé and Ton took the rear.

As they neared the apartment, Ress and Kerrick both paused before lowering their weapons. "There's no threat here."

"What do you…?" Jifo was about to ask when they all heard wretched sobs emitting from the apartment.

"Oh no," Padmé whispered, running ahead of the rest of them and rushing into the apartment.

The smell of fresh kills wasn't as strong in the apartment as it was in the hall, but there were just as many—if not more—bodies in the den. These kills were older, though not by much. "Someone's been in here already," Padmé said to the others as the entered, but her eyes focused on Rowan, who was on his knees holding a lifeless body.

Dread filling her, Padmé stepped slowly towards Rowan, but the limp figure in his arms wasn't his wife. Instead, it was a very young man who bore Rowan's resemblance. He was too young to be a brother and was too similar to Jan's features to be anything but a son.

"Rowan…" Kerrick began, not really knowing what to say. Rowan acted as if he didn't even hear him. Frankly, Padmé would be surprised if Rowan even knew they were there.

Padmé stood there helplessly watching Rowan cradle his son and sob. The sound was raw and harsh, tearing through her chest and making her eyes sting. Everyone else seemed to be similarly affected and didn't know what to do.

Sighing and shaking his head, Numel muttered, "We were too late…"

Padmé felt a slight twinge of irritation at Numel's bluntness, but she was too preoccupied with Rowan to do anything about it.

However, it finally seemed to annoy the others just enough. The sound of knuckles meeting bone caught Padmé's attention and she turned around to see Zhymmia standing over Numel, looking flushed and angry. "Shut _up_! Just shut up, you—you—"

Kerrick quickly grabbed Zhymmia and dragged her away from Numel before she punched the man again. "Zhymmia now is not the time!"

As Kerrick struggled with his furious subordinate, Padmé noticed Ress walking to the window alongside Shiine while the others watched the scuffle uncertainly. Padmé approached the two. "What is it?"

"I thought I heard a blaster shot," Shiine muttered.

Padmé immediately grew alert, trying to block out the strangled snarls from Zhymmia. She focused on where Shiine and Ress were watching, but she still couldn't hear anything over the racket the other Imperials were making. Nevertheless, she didn't have to hear the shots; she saw an alley light up as blasters were fired.

Immediately turning around, Padmé announced, "We have to go."

This caught the attention of everyone but Rowan, who still didn't give the impression of knowing they were even there. "What?"

"Sirs, there are more stormtroopers on their way," Ress said as he turned to face the others.

"Hang on," Shiine held up a hand. "I see Kenobi – he's with the others! Rowan, you're wife's with him!"

Padmé looked at Rowan to see if the statement garnered any reaction. Rowan only held his son tighter, trembling as he did so.

As this was going on, Ton was already issuing orders. He had Shiine and Numel, the best shots in the group, lead the way outside the apartment. Jifo and Ooke quickly followed, both having a wealth of knowledge on how to break in or out of locked access ways. Zhymmia and Marrax, both being relatively good shots, went next, accompanied by Ress and Kobayashi. This left Kerrick, Ton, and Padmé in the room with Rowan.

"We need to get him out of here," Ton said; his voice, for the first time in the time that Padmé had known him, was soft and gentle.

Kerrick, who knew Rowan better than Ton and Padmé, was the one to kneel beside him. "Rowan… we have to leave."

Rowan didn't acknowledge him.

"I can't imagine what you're feeling, Rowan," Kerrick shook his head. "But you and I both know that it doesn't matter in this situation; we're soldiers, Rowan. The enemy is coming. We have to go."

Kerrick placed a hand on Rowan's shoulder. "Rowan, we _have_ to _go_."

"No," Rowan moaned, cradling his son's head to his chest.

"On your feet, commander," Ton ordered.

"No," Rowan repeated; this time, however, his voice held anger.

"Rowan, I understand you're going through a lot right now—" Padmé tried to say.

"Like hell you do," Rowan snapped, clutching his son protectively.

Padmé sighed and looked at Kerrick. Kerrick and Ton both looked at each other and nodded before pulling out their blasters. "Get up, Rowan."

"We can't leave him!" Rowan shook his head.

This time Padmé _did_ hear the blaster fire. Ton said, "There's no time, Rowan. Let's _go_."

Rowan pulled away just enough to look at his son's pale serene face.

Kerrick bent beside Rowan and placed a hand under his arm to haul him to his feet. Rowan moved a little, but he wouldn't release his son.

A scream was heard outside; a woman's scream.

"Rowan, _now_!" Kerrick urged.

Closing his eyes tightly, Rowan released his son, who slumped onto the floor. Padmé couldn't bear to look at the sight either, and so she turned away. Ton put his blaster away, but Kerrick had his at the ready as he guided Rowan out of the apartment. Ton followed, leaving Padmé in the room. She slowly turned back to look at the body on the floor.

The man looked like a boy, so young and probably full of life before the stormtroopers had come. Just like Anakin. Just like her.

Force, when had everything fallen to pieces so horribly?

Biting her lip and taking a deep breath, Padmé left the room.

* * *

**Geez, it's been so long the new layout to this site is weirding me out O.o  
**

**Please review :)  
**


	35. Escape

**Well at least it wasn't a huge wait. Oh, and there's a new poll on my profile about publishing stories if you'd like to have your input heard. :) Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Marrax groaned as he tried to stand, his legs trembling badly. He was trying to catch up to the others who had already rushed outside due to the blaster fire, but his body wasn't cooperating.

The turbolift doors opened once more to reveal more of his friends, but the look he saw on Rowan's face made him worried. He was going to ask what was wrong, but they rushed by without saying a word.

Catching sight of Padmé coming, Marrax shouted, "What happened up there?"

Padmé looked at him, her eyes bitter and sad. Marrax shuddered and suddenly didn't want to know.

"Come on," she said as she passed him.

"I'm coming," Marrax panted, stumbling to follow her outside.

When he approached the doorway, Marrax caught sight of stormtroopers emerging from an alleyway. They were backing away from something or someone. Soon after, Obi-Wan, Moeema, Carh'la, and Jan also appeared out of the alley, firing or deflecting bolts. The Imperials who had just exited the apartment building shot the remaining troops down.

As Rowan ran over to Jan, who was holding her bloody left shoulder, Marrax noticed that there were more troops coming. They were beginning to outnumber the others, and so Marrax searched wildly for a blaster to use.

Instead, his eyes fell on the fire alarm.

Looking quickly back at the battle beginning to erupt, Marrax ran over to the alarm and activated it. He then slinked outside, trying to stay out of sight; it wouldn't do him or his friends a lot of good if he attempted to fight the stormtroopers without a blaster.

As the alarm blared, people began coming out of the building in waves, and the stormtroopers ceased fire once Marrax and the others blended into the crowd. One trooper thought he could still fire off a shot, and the moment he did, the crowd panicked, running in all directions in the cold winter night.

Cursing, Marrax flattened himself against the wall to avoid being trampled like last time. He barely caught sight of the others rushing into the nearest alley, and he tried desperately to reach them, but his legs gave out as someone rammed into him.

* * *

"We lost Ooke and Marrax in the crowd," Kerrick reported angrily.

"You have to get out of the city," Obi-Wan said. "I'll stay to get the others."

"What about Anakin and Ryatsi?" Padmé asked.

Obi-Wan paused. "I'll let you know about them as well."

"Obi-Wan, what aren't you telling us?" Moeema asked.

"This isn't the time to be talking about this," Obi-Wan muttered, shaking his head. He looked at them firmly. "Just go; I'll get the others."

"But what are we going to do?" Zhymmia questioned, sounding worried. "They're targeting our families!"

"I have to get home," Kerrick quickly interjected.

"I'm not letting them lay their hands on my family!" Moeema firmly said.

Ton held up his hands to silence them, but there wasn't much silence since the screaming mob was just a few steps away from them.

"We need to get out of the city first," Ton instructed his officers. Out of the entire group, he looked the calmest, earning him some respect from Padmé. "We'll leave to the west of the city. Ress has his comlink, Kenobi; contact us when you get the others and leave the city boundaries. Then we'll worry about getting off-world to get our families out of danger."

Padmé immediately worriedly thought of the twins, but no one knew who their real parents were, let alone that their parents were alive and in the middle of this mess.

Ton held his blaster steady and led the way out of the alley, going away from the mob while Obi-Wan remained, scanning the scene.

* * *

Ryatsi moaned, her hand on her gut after being kicked and then trampled. There was chaos in the med-wing after the power had gone out, and Anakin had managed to escape. The ship was on high alert, but it was difficult trying to find him when there was no power whatsoever. From the emergency siren, Ryatsi knew that they also had no life support.

Grabbing a comlink, Ryatsi risked putting in the frequency for Ress; if any of the others down on the planet would have his or her comlink, it would be Ress.

Ryatsi heard the channel open, but Ress didn't say a word. Instead, she whispered, "Ress? It's Ryatsi."

"Dr. Tunbaoth, where are you?" Ress asked immediately.

"I'm aboard the emperor's flagship," Ryatsi responded gloomily. "Anakin's with me."

"What?" The voice that exclaimed didn't belong to Ress; it belonged to Padmé. "You're on the _flagship_?"

Rytasi sighed. "Yes,"

Stunned silence was the reply.

Ryatsi continued before the others could say anything else. "It's… it's mostly okay; Anakin doesn't… he…"

Ryatsi paused. Nothing about the situation was okay… and how could she explain that Anakin had lost his memory again? How could she say that to his _wife_? He didn't know her face anymore; he didn't know _her_.

He didn't know any of them.

Ryatsi felt sick, and she shook her head. "Just get out of there, okay? Palpatine's not going to be too preoccupied with you guys now. I'll look after Anakin. Go."

"But—"

"Just _go_!" Ryatsi nearly yelled. "Don't you realize you'll be lucky to get out alive?"

Before the others could reply, Ryatsi cut the connection.

* * *

"How could they have—?"

"Why did she—?"

"What's going on?"

"We've got to get up there!"

Ton shook his head and said, "Enough,"

The others grew quiet and looked at him, some desperately, some angrily. "We can't go up there after them; that's suicide."

"Oh, so we just _abandon_ him?" Amidala snapped. "I'm not losing Anakin to that _bastard_ again!"

Ton raised an eyebrow at her and she took a deep breath, looking down and apologizing. When she returned her gaze to him, there were tears in her eyes. "We can't leave him there,"

Ton sighed. "We don't have a choice; what good will it do him or any of us if we try to storm the emperor's flagship? We'll just get ourselves killed."

Tade looked angry at the situation, but she grunted in agreement. "The captain's right; there's nothing we can do."

Ton looked over his officers. Lt Cdr. Tade and Lt Cdr. Norhek both looked furious, though Norhek looked more terrified for Vader than anything. Beillane, Sanus, and Kenzee looked frantic while Lt. Reukli and Lt Cdr. Chelcu, though nervous and agitated, were mostly centered.

Then there was Ens. Hu.

Hu's expression confused Ton more than anything. The man stood stiff as a board with his arms folded and a brooding look upon his face. He didn't appear surprised by the news at all; in fact, he had seemed this angry the entire time. He had remained quiet since the transmission, sulking in a dark corner and staring off at the city. Ress sat beside him, wringing his hands, but otherwise showing no reaction to what was happening.

"Ens. Hu, is there something you wish to share?" Ton asked sharply.

In all of Ton's time with Hu, during and before the escapade with Vader began, Ens. Hu had been quiet and timid. As Hu had grown used to Vader and had to become a surrogate parental figure, he grew braver, but this wasn't bravery; this was rage. Ton wanted to know what was so wrong that it made someone as mild as Hu look so livid.

Ens. Hu looked at Ton moodily, but he didn't say a word.

Movement from some brush just behind them caught everyone's attention, and they all turned to see Gen. Kenobi arrive alongside Lt. Tunrott. The two were half-dragging Ens. Mothezsh along with them.

Ress and Tade immediately assisted Kenobi and Tunrott as they lowered the half-conscious ensign to the ground.

"What happened to him?"

Kenobi sighed, checking Mothezsh. "He got knocked to the ground in the mob; I'm pretty certain he's sustained a head injury."

"Great; that's all we need," Hu muttered darkly.

"Ens. Hu, what is the matter with you?" Ton snapped.

"Ask _him_," Hu pointed to Kenobi accusingly. "He'll be able to tell _everyone_ why Anakin's up on the flagship with Ryatsi."

Everyone paused from their work and directed their attention to Kenobi, who sighed heavily.

"You _knew_ they were there?" Amidala looked at Kenobi in astonishment and anger.

"Yes, I did," Kenobi replied. "Anakin thought it was the best idea."

"_He_ gave himself up? Is he insane?" Chelcu shouted.

"You _let_ him?" Norhek barked.

"Why would he do that?" Kenzee asked no one in particular.

"Is he trying to fight the emperor?" Beillane offered.

Kenobi shook his head. "No… although I'm sure he would have preferred it. Anakin was convinced that Palpatine wouldn't stop hunting us until he was found, so he deemed it necessary to turn himself in. However, he didn't want Palpatine to find anything that could incriminate you all, so he… he wanted his memory wiped."

Ton was speechless. So was the rest of the group. _Vader had lost his memory?_

"Apparently his plan is working, too," Kenobi continued. "Since Ooke and I heard the stormtroopers receiving orders that the fleet was departing. They were going to leave us to the garrison on the planet until Death Squadron arrives."

No one said a word.

Kenobi spread his hands. "I know none of you probably wishes to see me alive let alone listen to me, but I strongly advise that you _leave_ after the fleet has departed. Palpatine's order to kill your families still stands, and it will be impossible to stay hidden once Death Squadron arrives. You have to find your families and get them into hiding."

Ton listened to the silence that served as the group's reply. It was then that he belatedly realized the sounds of the TIE fighters had long since died away.

"They've left," he muttered, catching everyone's attention.

Kenobi looked to the sky as well, his face expressing more worry than Amidala's and Norhek's faces combined.

* * *

"I'm sorry,"

Ryatsi sighed as she slowly pushed the sedative out of the syringe and into the IV she had given to Anakin. He sat on the bed tiredly, watching her every move.

Ryatsi didn't know how it had happened, but Anakin had vanished from the entire ship's scope until he suddenly was escorted back to the med-wing by the Red Guard. Ryatsi didn't even dare think what had happened, but whatever it was, it had left Anakin very subdued.

Anakin's eyes held no more fear. Instead, they held dread and a mournful acceptance. Ryatsi could have sworn those eyes held more understanding of their situation than even what she knew, but he didn't say a word. He just stared at her.

And somehow that made Ryatsi feel as if she were doing something very wrong in taking part of this whole mess.

Why did they have to turn themselves in to the emperor? They could have run; they could have gotten out.

"And for what?" she muttered under her breath as she watched Anakin slowly fall asleep.

If they had gotten away, would the emperor's fleet have chased them? Of course it would have. They would have been running all their lives. Still, Ryatsi didn't see how this was helping their plight much, either.

Sighing heavily once more, Ryatsi sat on Anakin's bed and watched him sleep. They were returning to Imperial Center now. The thought of it made her sick with terror. How long could she keep taking care of Anakin before the emperor decided he no longer needed a babysitter? They had kept Anakin hidden from the emperor for a reason; everyone in the entire Empire knew that Palpatine was no paternal figure. He would maul Anakin into shape if he had to.

The door to the medical wing opened to reveal the foolish doctor from the earlier incident. Ryatsi immediately stiffened, ready for anything.

The doctor walked cautiously towards Anakin's bed, but when he realized Anakin had been sedated, he relaxed. Ryatsi did not.

"Do you need something?" she asked curtly. "I've got the situation under control here, thanks."

The doctor, Dr. Navirtsy, sighed. "Look… I'm sorry for not listening to you, but I have my orders. You should know that you don't disobey orders when they're given directly from the emperor. He wants results."

"Did you get your results?" Ryatsi asked smartly.

"No," the doctor replied. "But I can get them now."

Ryatsi stood. "No,"

Dr. Navirtsy shook his head. "How did you survive in Death Squadron? I never knew Lord Vader to be lenient."

"You worked with him?" Ryatsi asked, stunned at the concept.

"A few years ago," the doctor nodded. "I worked with him and the 501st on a mission; he, just like the emperor, was more concerned with results than with bedside manner."

"You're not much of a doctor, are you?" Ryatsi said, disgusted. "You're so concerned with orders that you've forgotten you're treating _people_, not prisoners or soldiers or test subjects. They're _people_."

"They'll be dead people—and so will I—if my orders are not followed."

"Look what following your orders got you." Ryatsi motioned around the wrecked room.

"I simply misjudged," Dr. Navirtsy replied. "I should have listened to you when you said he would panic. Nevertheless, the tests must be done. Now that he is sedated, it's the perfect opportunity."

"You won't lay a finger on him, I promise you that," Ryatsi glared at the doctor defensively.

Dr. Navirtsy looked at her seriously. "Dr. Tunbaoth, if you do not step aside, I cannot guarantee that you will be able to tend to Lord Vader in the future."

Ryatsi felt her stomach churn, and she knew she was trapped. Balling her fists in frustration, she stormed aside so the doctor could do his work.

"You're disgusting," she snapped as he drew blood from Anakin's IV.

"I'm simply doing my orders." He replied.

* * *

The sun sat heavily on the horizon as it lazily drifted higher into the sky. A cold winter wind blew through the city, chilling its inhabitants to the bone. The area seemed calmer than it had been a few hours ago, but there was still damage to be repaired. Rescue teams were busy running around the city to treat victims of panicked or angry mobs and stampedes, and stormtroopers scoured the streets as best as their minimal numbers would allow.

In the southern side of Taris City, two paramedics rushed to the aid of yet another victim of one of the many stampedes from the previous night.

"Honestly, and I was having a great time at the Ria Dance, too," one paramedic grumbled irritably as he kneeled beside his patient. "Blasted Empire,"

"Be careful what you say, Jon," his partner whispered quickly as he grabbed the patient's wrist to get a pulse. "Those troopers are all over the place, and we don't know what or who they're looking for,"

Jon grumbled under his breath before checking the pupils of his patient. As he flashed the light into the patient's eyes, some movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention, and he immediately sat straight to see if there was another victim. Instead, he caught sight of a group of people sneaking through an alley. He would have returned his attention to his patient if he hadn't noticed that the group was armed and one of the members was nearly being dragged.

As his partner was treating the patient, Jon immediately stood and held his hands in the air before calling to get the group's attention. Making sure his hands were noticeably in the air so they wouldn't be provoked, he said, "I'm a paramedic. Is your friend hurt?"

The members of the group looked at each other uncertainly. Then a young woman walked into the light, revealing a beautiful face, luscious long dark brown hair, and intelligent brown eyes. She must have been from the dance since she was dressed in the black garments of one of the mourning.

"Our friend has some sort of head injury," she said.

The other members of the group still appeared to be uncertain from their body language, seeing as they kept looking at each other and shifting, gripping their blasters firmly. Jon remained where he was, keeping his hands in the air. "I can treat him if you bring him over here. Is that okay?"

Some whispers were heard in the alley as some sort of debate began. Jon's partner warily whispered, "Be careful; they seem pretty sketchy,"

"Yeah, I know," Jon muttered, still not moving. "How's the other patient?"

"He's got some broken ribs and he's not breathing very well; it might be a pneumothorax,"

"Did you get him on oxygen, Roy?"

"The oxygen's back by the speeder. I don't know if your fidgety friends will let me move now that they've set their eyes on us."

Jon clenched his teeth and then took a deep breath, bracing himself. "Now, look; my partner here needs to help this man behind us, but he has to go back to our speeder to do so. He's just going to get some supplies for our patient, and they might be useful for your friend, too. He's going to go now, so don't shoot him."

Jon paused and then whispered, "Any time now, Roy,"

He heard his partner shift and stand, slowly walking back to the speeder. One member of the group moved, making Jon's hair stand up, but the member walked into the light unarmed. He was older than the woman and looked as if he had aged years in a short period of time. "We're bringing him out now."

Two other people appeared, half-carrying a third man. The man was the youngest Jon had seen so far, and he had a bad bruise on his head. As soon as the young man was brought out of the alley, Jon walked forward and helped the other two carry him closer to the first patient.

Changing his gloves, Jon asked, "Can you tell me how this happened?"

"He was caught up in the mob. He must have been knocked over and kicked quite a bit before we got to him." One man drawled in a heavily accented voice.

Suddenly, a crisp Coruscanti accent came from the alley, snapping, "We should be going."

As Jon examined the young man, he said to whoever was protesting, "Look, your buddy here could be seriously hurt. He should go to a hospital."

"No," they all immediately said.

Jon looked at them, his eyebrows raised.

Sighing in frustration, one man muttered, "I knew this was a bad idea."

As Jon watched the group, he noticed a cylindrical bulge in one of the men's robes. As the freezing winter wind blew the billowing robes, Jon caught sight of a glint of metal. His brow furrowed as he tried to piece the images together and then he quickly realized what he had just seen.

The man noticed Jon staring at him and asked in a calm voice, "Is something the matter?"

Jon quickly returned his gaze to his patient. "No. How old is this man?"

"He'll be twenty-nine in about a month," a black-haired, small-eyed, pale man answered quickly.

Examining the injury and checking the pupils, Jon sighed. "This guy got off lucky. It looks like he's just got a concussion. Mind you, I'm saying it _looks_ like a small concussion; it could be worse. I advise you get him to a hospital as soon as you can. Ambulances are swamped right now, so we can only take one patient on the squad speeder with us."

"Take the other guy," one of the members answered immediately.

Jon nodded mutely. He knew why they were hiding.

Roy had apparently finished his work on the other patient and called Jon for assistance to load the patient onto a stretcher. Jon pulled out a syringe and held it up to the others. "This ought to help your friend here regain consciousness. Don't make him exert himself; he needs plenty of rest, lots of fluids, and little stress if that's at all possible. Oh, and… if you follow me I might be able to give you guys a lift."

The woman raised an eyebrow in a query, but Jon said nothing else as he helped Roy load the first patient onto a stretcher. As they did so, Roy whispered, "I hope you know what you're doing, Jonny."

"Me too," Jon answered before facing the people once more. "Follow me."

The group hesitated once more, but Jon continued to walk away from them as their friend stirred and groaned from the injection. After seeing their friend recovering, the group began to follow Jon cautiously.

Jon led them to his fellow crew members' fire tanker, which stood empty as it had long since been abandoned by its crew who were busy with a rescue operation close by. Jon motioned to the vehicle. "I can fly this tanker over to the nearest spaceport. There was a call for some emergency assistance."

The others looked at him confusedly before realizing he was offering them a ride to freedom.

"Well we shouldn't leave them waiting, then," one of them answered.

Jon nodded and hopped into the pilot's seat as the others quickly boarded. Shooting one last glance at Roy and the squad speeder, Jon activated the engine and sped along his way.

* * *

"Why is he giving us a lift?" Ooke asked. "Does he know who we are?"

"If he does he would have called the authorities by now," Shiine commented.

Obi-Wan was about to speak, but he thought better of it. They were still furious with him, and it was a miracle they hadn't shot him yet.

The fire tanker they were riding flew through the city with its sirens blazing. Obi-Wan had to admit it was the most noticeable and yet safest way to get out of the city alive; it was a miracle that they had found a sympathetic firefighter paramedic.

"What are we going to do when we get to the spaceport?" Zhymmia asked worriedly.

"We should split up," Capt. Mentzer immediately answered. "A group as large as us is too noticeable, and as Kenobi said, we need to get our families to safety. That is our first priority."

"What about Anakin?" Zhymmia argued.

"What if we don't have family?" Numel queried.

Before Mentzer could reply, Obi-Wan explained, "I believe the point the captain is trying to make is that we have to split up, no matter what."

His comment garnered a glare from everyone, showing that his input was not welcome. Sighing, Obi-Wan somewhat regretted saying anything at all, but the point had to be made.

The sirens wailed before growing silent as the tanker reached its destination. The paramedic driving hopped out and ran to the nearest authority figure, asking how he could help. Since he wasn't paying the group an iota of attention, they took it as their cue to leave.

Capt. Mentzer led his Imperials to a directory, where they saw that all the flights were being delayed due to the Imperial presence. However, they had little other choice or hope for getting offworld, and so they each selected flights that either got them to their home-worlds or as close as possible. This left Obi-Wan and Padmé standing side by side, staring at nothing in particular, and not knowing what to say to each other.

Obi-Wan could sense Padmé's fury at Obi-Wan and Anakin's actions. She was angry at Anakin for his idea, and she was surprised that Obi-Wan had gone along with it. Obi-Wan himself was rather surprised he had gone along with it.

Groaning internally, Obi-Wan felt like he had just blundered seriously once more. What was it about him and Anakin that didn't seem to work? Whenever Anakin brushed him off or tried to convince him of something, he either listened when he shouldn't have or ignored him when he shouldn't have.

Not for the first time, Obi-Wan dearly wished Qui-Gon was still alive.

As Obi-Wan and Padmé stood in silence, the Imperials looked at each other awkwardly and in terror. They had to separate, and they didn't know if they were going to see each other again. Some exchanged hugs; others gripped forearms and smiled grimly. The captain said "good luck" to his officers and departed, not looking back. As he locked eye contact with Obi-Wan, he gave a nod before continuing on his way.

"Where will you go?" Obi-Wan asked Padmé.

"To Alderaan," Padmé answered. "I'm going to find Leia."

Obi-Wan nodded, not saying anything. He had expected that answer, but he still wasn't sure if it was the right one. Nevertheless, he knew arguing would be pointless. To his surprise, Padmé was conversational and considerate enough to ask, "And you?"

"I…" Obi-Wan paused. He didn't know where he would go. Should he go to Coruscant and try to rescue Anakin? At this point that seemed nearly suicidal. No, no… attacking Coruscant right now would be too premature. Anakin was safe so long as he was amnesiac.

But…

"Padmé…" Obi-Wan faced her. "Did you tell Anakin about the twins?"

Padmé turned to look Obi-Wan in the eye. "Yes. Why? He won't remember it now."

Her words were laced with stinging poison, but Obi-Wan shrugged the pain aside for the moment. Anakin had learned of the twins. He wouldn't remember it, that was true, but if his memory came back at any point…

"I have to go back to Tatooine," Obi-Wan said quickly. "Your children's safety is very precarious right now."

"What do you mean?" Padmé immediately demanded.

"It's true that Anakin won't remember you telling him about the twins," Obi-Wan explained. "But you see, I didn't rid Anakin of his memories; I simply stored them away, if you will. He _will_ remember, Padmé; the question is only when. Anakin is safe so long as he doesn't remember… and unfortunately that won't last. His safety, however, is also tied to your children's safety. If Anakin remembers about the twins and Palpatine realizes it…"

Padmé stared at him in horror. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"What difference would that have made?" Obi-Wan argued gently. "Go to Alderaan, Padmé. Get Leia, and get her out of there any way you can."

Padmé watched Obi-Wan for a few seconds more before turning and hastily making her way to the directory where the Imperials were now dispersing. Some threw glances in her direction, but they had to leave in a hurry. It was a rushed and unceremonious end to the group who had taken care of Anakin for over a month.

Obi-Wan dearly hoped that it wouldn't be the last time they saw each other.

* * *

**If you can guess who the paramedics are based off of you can choose whichever Imperial's family you get to see first. :) Please review.  
**


	36. Meeting Leia

**Okay, yes, I promise I'm still alive! I've had some major events going on in my life that have sadly put my stories on the back burner until now, so I'm sorry I've left you guys hanging for so long. Hopefully this will help cheer you up. :) **

* * *

_Padmé crested the hill near the lake retreat on Naboo and was surprised to see a herd of shaaks grazing barely a few steps away from her. She had been chasing Anakin; where was he?_

_Suddenly, she saw Anakin clambering on top of a shaak and shooting a silly smile in her direction as the shaak began to buck in protest. The whole image was so ridiculous Padmé couldn't help but laugh. Anakin wiggled back and forth, flinging his arms out into the air to attempt some semblance of balance as he unceremoniously rode the shaak, but he couldn't stay on its back for long; one final buck sent Anakin flying and the shaak ran right over him._

_Startled, Padmé rushed from her spot to reach Anakin; those shaaks were heavy creatures, so he could be seriously injured. She certainly hoped he wasn't; she was no healer, and there wouldn't be help for a long while considering how remote the location was._

_Padmé's dread grew as she neared Anakin, who had attempted to sit up and then collapsed. She called out his name and then finally reached him, turning him over to see if he was even conscious, only to see his face attempt to look serious before he started laughing hysterically._

_Relieved and irritated at the same time, Padmé smacked him on the shoulder, which only encouraged him all the more. Anakin pushed her off and the two engaged in a wrestling match. She quickly won the first wresting match, leaving Anakin indignant enough to shove her down another hill as they laughed and played. He won that round, but Padmé was slightly irritated that he had pushed her in the first place, so she grabbed her dress to raise it a little from the ground in order to chase the Padawan around the entire island, running between the shaaks and startling them until the two found themselves running amongst the herd._

"_Take my hand!" Anakin called out, a wide smile on his face despite the fact that they could get trampled._

_Padmé reached and grabbed his outstretched right hand, enjoying the warmth it gave her. He pulled her towards him and led her through the herd, weaving in and out of shaaks, leaving Padmé screaming but enjoying herself nonetheless. She seemed immortal in those moments. She was incapable of falling and being trampled as long as Anakin held her hand, leading her confidently through the stampede._

_Adrenaline rushed through Padmé as Anakin yanked her right in front of a small shaak and the two yelled out in pure thrill as they found themselves on top of a steep hill. The wind blew with them harshly, and Anakin leapt into the air, making Padmé do so as well. The fierce wind lifted them off the ground slightly longer than was normal, leaving Padmé feeling weightless and then the ground suddenly made itself known to her ankles and knees again, but the adrenaline and Anakin's glowing face covered up the pain._

_Anakin whooped in excitement and then began to slow their insanely fast pace down the hill. He closed his eyes and the herd began to calm itself, slowing as well. Anakin and Padmé stumbled to a halt as the herd began to trot to different spots, and all of them were panting. Exhausted, Anakin and Padmé both fell to the soft ground, letting the grass cushion them as the cooling evening air scraped their lungs. Padmé felt her heart beating harshly against her chest and the blood rushing through her body. She closed her eyes, trying to slow her gasps enough to a normal rate once more. Anakin didn't seem to be bothered by the discomfort the adrenaline was causing; instead, he continued to pant far longer than Padmé as if he was trying to cling onto as much of the adrenaline as possible, to the point where she began to wonder if he was okay._

_Anakin laughed as his breathing finally began to level out. "That was fun!"_

_His blunt summary of what had happened just struck Padmé somehow and she began laughing so hard tears of mirth streamed down her face._

Her cheeks were moist, just as they had been in the memory; she hadn't even noticed when that had happened. The tears trailed slowly down her face, but their cause was far from mirthful.

Padmé stared at the blue and white kaleidoscope of hyperspace. The memory of her and Anakin's time on Naboo just before the Clone War made her heart ache. It seemed impossible that those events took place eight years ago… to Padmé it had only been three years.

Shaking her head, Padmé marveled at how much chaos had seeped into the galaxy in the five years she had been comatose. However, the chaos that she was concerned with pertained only to her and her family; she felt selfish for thinking that way, but at the same time it hurt too much to try and comprehend just how horrible a state _everything_ was in.

Anakin's laughter from the memory rang in her mind and she felt sick. This was just so messed up. All of it.

More tears streamed down her face. They had just gotten Anakin back; he was starting to repent, he was starting to understand that what he had done as Darth Vader was wrong.

He was becoming Anakin again. And then she had lost him. _Again._

Why had Obi-Wan agreed to that?!

Anger coursed through Padmé. Part of her saw the logic in the idea; Anakin was a magnet for Palpatine, and he was in no state to be fighting the Sith Lord just yet. However, sticking him with Palpatine while being amnesiac wasn't going to help either; Palpatine could indoctrinate him all over again, right? Padmé supposed that's why Ryatsi went with Anakin; to ensure that that didn't happen.

She still thought it was insane. Anakin _always_ had insane ideas.

The hyperdrive disengaged and the kaleidoscope vanished, fading into the black void that seemed to reflect Padmé's aching heart so well. However, her pain quickly dissipated into excitement and worry as Alderaan approached; she was finally going to see her daughter.

The prospect made her stomach churn. Leia was five years old; she was very young, but she was old enough to be attached to Bail and Breha. How was Padmé going to get her off of Alderaan, and how was she going to explain that she was her mother?

Padmé groaned. Was there anything going on that wasn't terrifying or depressing?

The ship shuddered as it landed, snapping Padmé out of her musings. Well it was now or never. Blowing out a breath, Padmé disembarked and wandered through the spaceport. It was in the capital city, Aldera, and she could see the palace in the distance.

This wasn't going to be easy.

As she made her way towards the palace, Padmé pondered how she was going to explain the situation. She walked calmly at first, displaying how well she could control her emotions in a tight situation, but as she thought more on how Anakin could remember at any moment, she began to jog and eventually run to the palace.

Upon reaching the entrance, Padmé's first obstacle was the large gate that protected the perimeter. She hastily waved to get a guard's attention and told him she needed to see Bail Organa, and it was urgent; she knew Bail was on Alderaan right now, so he would be the one she could speak to. The guard seemed skeptical, so Padmé said it was a matter of security.

"Just tell him Cordé from Naboo needs to speak to him, and it's urgent," she explained hastily.

The guard ordered her to remain and left, no doubt to speak to a superior rather than give the message to Bail. Padmé looked for spots where the cameras were watching her and quickly darted into the shadows. She wasn't a Jedi, but she was skilled enough to evade a camera and climb a wall, though the latter prospect was quite difficult in her mourning dress – not for the first time, Padmé was regretting the fact that she hadn't had a chance to change clothes; that Ria Dance seemed so long ago now…

Padmé figured she had about two minutes before the guard realized she had disappeared. She ran through the gardens outside of the palace and, very luckily, caught sight of Bail on a low-lying balcony overlooking the city.

"Down here," Padmé hissed to get his attention. Bail jumped and looked right at her, his mouth opening in surprise.

"Come here," Padmé said, and Bail immediately vanished from view.

A minute later he reappeared around the corner, jogging towards her. He seemed surprised, but he was gathering his face into a political façade depicting bemusement but cordiality at the same time. He paused upon reaching Padmé and then looked her over.

"…That's an interesting outfit, Cordé," Bail commented with mild amusement.

Padmé's concern for her daughter's safety tossed aside any sense of casual conversation or banter. Instead, she just desperately and pleadingly said, _"Bail,"_

Bail immediately understood that something was very wrong, and he placed his hand on her shoulder just as security arrived. He waved the guard off before he could say anything and simply told Padmé, "Come inside."

Bail gave the signal to the men that Padmé was all right, and the guards left, disgruntled, as Padmé hastily entered the palace. The two went to a private area of the palace where there weren't many attendants in the vicinity.

Before Padmé could say anything, Bail asked, "What's the matter? What happened? Where did you disappear off to on Nihoma? You just vanished during the dragon attack—we thought you might have been killed!"

"Where's Leia?" Padmé demanded, ignoring Bail's concern for her own well being. "She isn't safe here anymore."

Bail's face paled. "What are you talking about?"

"She isn't safe, Bail; Anakin knows where she is."

"Darth Vader knows?" Bail jumped.

Padmé violently shook her head, growing angry. "No, _not_ Darth Vader. _Anakin._ _Anakin_ knows…" Tears welled in her eyes once more, and Padmé suddenly couldn't stop herself from saying, "Oh, Bail, he was coming back to me! He was returning to the light… he was really trying to come back, and then this happened…"

"Padmé, what is going on?"

"Anakin was trying to turn back to the light once more, but Palpatine's captured him. He found out about the twins and where they are before he was captured." Padmé said hastily; the faster she could get to Leia, the better.

If possible, Bail went paler. "And you think he'll tell Palpatine?"

"No," Padmé immediately defended her husband. "He'd never tell him… but Obi-Wan said that Palpatine can read Anakin's mind like an open book."

Bail was silent, processing the information, but Padmé's worry made her impatient. "Bail, she has to leave _now_. I don't know when things will get worse, and I'm _not_ risking her safety—"

"I know, I know," Bail hastily held up his hands. "Just… give me a moment. I have to explain this to Leia. Wait here."

Bail departed, leaving Padmé to pace the hallway impatiently. Her stomach churned once more, and she could feel a cold sweat accumulating. She didn't know what was worse; having her daughter forced to leave her only sense of comfort and safety because she was in danger or having to be the one to explain it to her.

Padmé moaned. How was she going to explain this?!

She didn't know how much time had passed, but the sound of a door opening made her jump. Padmé whirled to the entrance and her breath caught.

Bail was walking in guiding a small girl by the hand. The girl bore Padmé's resemblance to a startling level, but there were traces of Anakin in her as well. She had her father's high cheekbones and strong jaw. While her eyes were obviously inherited from Padmé, her gaze itself was distinctly Anakin's; they held the same fire, the same sparkle. Right now Leia's eyes were directed at Bail, but when the two stopped in front of Padmé, Leia looked at Padmé for the first time.

The two stared at each other in silence, and Padmé felt her knees go weak. Nevertheless, she shook the feeling off and walked towards Leia, albeit slowly.

"Hello Leia," she said to her daughter with a smile.

* * *

"Of _course_ the results are inconclusive," Ryatsi sighed. "Don't you think I ran tests of my own? The only thing these tests tell us is that his DNA has somehow been rejuvenated by five years… and that doesn't even begin to explain how he suddenly grew back _three limbs_ in the process."

Dr. Navirtsy glared at the data pad in his hand before shaking his head. "The emperor wants an _explanation_, not an excuse."

"That's your problem, isn't it?" Ryatsi spat, still disgusted by the sight of the doctor.

"It's your problem as well, Dr. Tunbaoth," Navirtsy replied. "I'll have to run more tests on Lord Vader."

"Remember how well that went last time?" Ryatsi reminded the man.

As Navirtsy thought up a decent argument in reply, Ryatsi considered her situation. They were one day from Imperial Center; one day from being sealed in the prison that was the Imperial Palace. She had no idea what she was going to do or how she would keep Anakin safe from Palpatine. Perhaps letting Navirtsy run more tests would be a _good_ idea; if Anakin panicked again and knocked the power out once more, she might be able to get him off the ship. But no, that was just suicide; Palpatine himself was on board the ship, and while Ryatsi didn't know much about the Force, she knew enough to realize Palpatine would sense their escape attempt. For now she would just have to be the helpful doctor who would look after Anakin.

Anakin himself hadn't improved much since they had left Taris. He mostly stuck extremely close to Ryatsi and, thankfully, Palpatine hadn't been interested enough to come talk to him. Ryatsi supposed the emperor was waiting for Anakin to get some sense back in his head.

_Blast it, Obi-Wan, you'd better get us out of here,_ Ryatsi thought irritably. She didn't know whose idea it was to wipe Anakin's memory, but she was cursing the both of them anyway, and she was cursing whoever created the universe for making her the one to run into them.

She supposed her best bet right now was to make Anakin as dependent on her as possible; if he trusted her only he would listen when she told him to get the heck out of there whenever the opportunity arose… _if_ the opportunity ever arose.

"It doesn't matter if he panics again," Dr. Navirtsy finally said. "I can't give a report this vague to the emperor."

Ryatsi shook her head. "No matter what test you run the results will be the same. I ran every test in the book on the blood sample I took from him. Science can't explain this one."

"Then what can?" Navirtsy snapped, growing anxious.

"I don't know," Ryatsi muttered.

Navirtsy sighed heavily. "Where is Lord Vader, anyway?"

"Why in the blazes would I tell you?"

Raising a hand to calm her, Navirtsy said, "Relax; I have no intention of doing anything behind your back. That man would probably kill me if I tried. I'm just curious as to where he is."

"He's resting. That's all you need to know." Ryatsi answered. She didn't want this nut job anywhere near Anakin.

Dr. Navirtsy sighed again and tossed the data pad onto the nearest table. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he told Ryatsi, "You should know they'll probably try to separate you from Vader when you reach Imperial Center."

Ryatsi's blood ran cold. "How do you know?"

"I don't," Navirtsy replied. "I'm just guessing. It would make the most sense; you're dead weight and the emperor doesn't trust you. If you can't get any better test results than I they have no use for you."

"Vader only listens to me," Ryatsi pointed out.

"True," Navirtsy agreed. "But that doesn't mean they won't try to break him of that habit."

"Palpatine said I could be Vader's physician until he can speak and interact normally once more." Ryatsi said loudly, her emotions beginning to overpower her.

"Then that's probably the case," Dr. Navirtsy shrugged. Then he looked at her intensely. "But what happens after that?"

"I'll figure it out," Ryatsi snapped, exiting the medical wing. As she stormed through the hallways her emotions ran amok in her mind, bringing all sorts of horrifying images and scenarios. What if they did take Anakin away? They would indoctrinate him again for sure; Palpatine would have complete control over him. Ryatsi recalled how innocent and vulnerable Anakin had been when he first lost his memories and her stomach churned. She couldn't let the emperor take advantage of him in such a state.

However, though Anakin had lost his memories once more, it seemed different this time. He didn't seem as trusting or innocent. He watched everyone as he had before, but instead of innocent curiosity there was coldness to his gaze, as if he were examining possible threats rather than strangers. His silence wasn't laced with confusion and inquisitiveness but dread and mistrust. The only person he let near him was Ryatsi, particularly after the affair over Taris. Ryatsi was almost certain that though his memories were stored away for the time being, his gut instincts remained as they were as if his memories were whispering a warning to him. Nevertheless, Ryatsi didn't know if this was supposed to be reassuring or worrying.

Ryatsi reached her temporary quarters and she opened the door. Anakin was asleep on her cot, his face not holding its usual peacefulness when Little One slept. It didn't even hold the quiet cold serenity that, though a façade, was the look he displayed while asleep after he remembered. Now Anakin's brow was furrowed, and he tossed restlessly in bed as if having a nightmare. Ryatsi placed a hand on his shoulder and sat beside the cot, which seemed to calm him a little. His brow remained furrowed, though, and Ryatsi felt dread fill her. She didn't know if it was hers or Anakin's spilling into her, but all she could hear as she watched him was what Navirtsy had said:

"_What happens after that?"_

* * *

"So you see, you're just going on a vacation for a while, okay Leia?" Bail smiled reassuringly at the five-year-old as he knelt beside her.

Padmé watched Leia's expression as she grew anxious. "But Daddy—"

"No buts, sweetheart," Bail interrupted. "Remember what I said?"

Leia sighed and mumbled, "It's princess duties."

"Exactly," Bail nodded. "Whether a princess likes it or not, she must help her people. And right now you can help your people by going on vacation with…"

Bail paused, looking at Padmé uncertainly. He had been explaining the situation to Leia in a manner the girl could understand, but he had never specifically stated who Padmé was; only that she would be taking Leia with her.

"Padmé," she supplied. "But just call me Miss Cordé for now."

"Why?" Leia asked, just as inquisitive as her father.

"It's a secret game," Padmé answered. "You see, nobody's supposed to know my name's Padmé. Can you play along?"

Leia nodded, still looking unsure.

"It will be all right, dear," Bail piped in, brushing a finger against Leia's cheek reassuringly. Padmé's heart ached watching him. Though he was her dear friend, watching him treat Leia as his own instead of Padmé or Anakin doing so hurt more than she could ever express. Bail nudged Leia towards Padmé, his face showing grief and worry for just a moment when Leia wasn't looking. Padmé looked Bail in the eye and the two nodded at each other.

"Where will you go?" Bail asked Padmé.

"Tatooine," Padmé immediately answered. Bail said nothing, knowing her reason. Instead, he gave one last look to Leia, who was watching him quietly.

"Goodbye, dear," he whispered.

Leia waved but did not smile. She seemed to know something was wrong. Padmé reached down and took Leia by the hand. "Come on, Leia. Let's go."

The two turned and walked away, but Leia looked back and watched Bail the whole time they remained in the hallway. When they turned the corner to a hangar Bail had suggested, Leia eventually turned her gaze to Padmé. It was amazing how the gaze of a five-year-old could make one nervous, particularly a trained and skilled politician such as Padmé, but somehow Leia's silent stare was unbearable. Nevertheless, Padmé continued to walk and refused to stare at her daughter lest she fall apart.

A ship that Bail had ordered be prepped was humming on the hangar deck. The pilot nodded his head. "She's all yours, ma'am,"

Padmé thanked the pilot and boarded the ship, still holding Leia's hand. She could still feel Leia's eyes boring into her, so she closed the ramp and went straight to the cockpit rather than speak to the five-year-old. What was _wrong_ with her? Leia was _five_; the girl deserved to be talked to and comforted… but Padmé just couldn't do it. She couldn't bear to look at Leia's intense stare before they were in hyperspace. If she looked she would lose control of her emotions, and she couldn't do that.

Despite her raging emotions, Padmé managed to say, "Strap yourself in, sweetheart,"

She heard Leia sit in the copilot's seat and buckle herself in clumsily. Padmé hazarded a quick glance to make sure Leia was strapped properly. Leia sat there in the tangle of straps staring straight ahead, curiosity and a strange sadness glimmering in her eyes. Returning her focus to the controls, Padmé gunned the engine and guided the ship off the hangar deck and out of the atmosphere. As she plotted the coordinates for Tatooine, Leia finally spoke.

"What's Tatooine?" she asked.

"It's a planet in the Outer Rim," Padmé answered. "It's not too far, actually; there's a great big gap of planets between us and Tatooine, so we'll get there in just over a day."

"Is it pretty there?"

Padmé chuckled. "It's a bunch of sand. Have you ever been to the beach?"

Leia finally seemed to be relaxing a little and she nodded vigorously in excitement. "It's a beach?"

"Well, it's got sand like a beach," Padmé said. "There's not much water, though. It's very hot there."

"Oh," Leia commented, sounding a little crestfallen. "I like water…"

"I love water," Padmé noted as she finally put the ship into hyperspace. She drew in a deep breath, gathering her strength, and then swiveled her seat to face Leia fully.

Leia noticed the motion and looked Padmé in the eyes. She could have said anything in that moment, and she opened her mouth to speak. Padmé expected to hear some sort of question about why they were leaving or why Padmé was the one to take her anywhere, but instead, Leia asked, "Can I unbuckle now? I have to go to the refresher."

Padmé laughed lightly and untangled her daughter from the seat. "Yes, dear; go on,"

Leia hopped off the seat happily and then ran down the hall. Padmé took the time to reestablish control over her emotions. Her daughter obviously knew something was wrong, but at least she wasn't sobbing for Bail or Breha; in fact, Padmé was thankful she hadn't run into Breha at all. She knew Bail and Leia had gone to see Breha briefly before they returned to Padmé, but at least it hadn't been in front of her. She had nothing against Breha, but if Padmé heard Leia addressing another woman as her mother, she knew her heart would have broken.

Leia returned quickly, looking happier. She then asked, "Why doesn't anybody know your name's Padmé?"

If there was one thing about being a politician it was that most questions directed at a person were laced with many different meanings and were couched in cordiality. However, Leia's blunt inquiries reminded Padmé strikingly of Anakin… not to mention they were just on par for a child her age. Padmé recalled her nieces' habit of asking the most awkward questions at the worst of times without the slightest concern for tact or manners.

"Well, first tell me what you know about your mommy and daddy," Padmé countered.

"Mommy and Daddy rule Alderaan and Daddy's the senator," Leia answered diligently with a proud smile. Then her smile drooped. "And I'm a princess,"

"Because you're their daughter, right?" Padmé asked casually, but internally her heart was pounding with anticipation at the girl's answer.

"I'm adopted," Leia mumbled. Then she seemed to recall something Bail must have told her and she stomped her foot and puffed her chest out proudly. "But that doesn't change anything!"

Padmé chuckled at her daughter's enthusiasm. However, Leia's pained expression when she first admitted her adoption tore at Padmé. Leia knew she was adopted and it obviously hurt her to not know her parents… but what was Padmé going to say?

"So you're adopted… when did you find that out?"

Leia looked at her feet and mumbled her response. "I just knew…"

"And you told your daddy?"

Leia nodded meekly.

Padmé felt her nerves tingle as she then asked, "Do you want to know who your real parents are?"

Leia looked up at Padmé in confusion. Hopefulness and curiosity sparkled in her eyes, but she also seemed worried. "But my daddy said…"

"I'm not saying your daddy doesn't love you," Padmé immediately said. "I'm just wondering if you want to know who your real parents are."

"You know who they are?" Leia stared in awe.

Padmé gave a calm, reassuring smile though she felt no such feelings at that moment. "Yes, I do,"

Leia seemed excited, but then she grew sad, muttering, "Daddy says they're dead…"

Padmé chose her words carefully. "Your daddy may not be right about that."

Silence hung heavily in the air as Padmé gauged her daughter's reaction. Leia seemed excited and anxious to know who her parents were. She stood with her eyes wide, and any semblance of that strange calmness from before was completely gone. However, she seemed to hesitate. Her whole life she knew Bail and Breha Organa as her parents, and Padmé was sure it felt strange to Leia that someone else would step in with the titles of mommy and daddy. Leia almost seemed scared to give someone else the titles, and so she remained silent.

Not wanting to thrust it all upon her at once, Padmé told Leia to sit down and then sat across from her. "I'm going to tell you a story, okay?"

Leia nodded with rapt attention.

"A long time ago there was a man and a woman who met and fell in love," she began, but Leia immediately interrupted.

"And they lived happily ever after!" she shouted with a smile.

Padmé laughed, but it held no mirth. Oh how she _wished_ that were true. Leia didn't notice the change in attitude, though, and Padmé quickly resumed the story. "Well, they got married, but something happened. A bad battle between two governments broke out. Has your daddy told you about the Clone War?"

Leia nodded, completely engrossed in the story. "Yes, he's told me about it. He said it was really bad and lots of people died in it. He also said it's what made the Republic go away and the Empire come."

"Yes, it is," Padmé encouraged. "That war happened just when the man and the woman got married, and the man had to fight in it."

"Oh no!" Leia interjected. "Was he bad?"

"No, sweetheart. You'll understand better when you're older, but sometimes we have to fight for what we believe in. Surely your daddy's said that."

Leia seemed to ponder the comment. "Daddy says we have to stand up for what we believe… but he says killing is bad, and he says wars kill people."

"Wars most certainly kill people," Padmé agreed. "But they're fought for reasons. Take the Empire and the Rebels for example: the Empire is bad, right?"

Leia nodded with conviction. "They're very bad!"

"What about the Rebels?"

Leia paused. "They're… daddy says they're good."

"Exactly," Padmé nodded. "Yet they're fighting a war; that's because the Empire's bad and more people will get hurt if the Rebels don't fight. The Clone War was just like that; the Separatists…"

Here Padmé paused. Trying to explain something as complicated as the Clone War to a five-year-old was difficult. The war between the Empire and the Rebels was a little more black and white, something a child could understand; the Empire was a cruel and abusive government that needed to be taken down. In other words, it was exactly how Leia had put it earlier: the Empire was bad and the Rebels were good. But how did one explain the Clone War? The war was started because the Republic was growing corrupt and negligent to its own people, but the Separatists were the ones who started the conflict instead of trying to solve the problem. Neither side was all bad nor was neither side all good. Padmé supposed she would have to simplify it as much as possible.

"The Separatists were led by a bad person," she explained. "And the Republic was full of good people. The Separatists started the war, and the Republic had to fight back so they couldn't let the bad guy win. The man was fighting for the Republic. Understand?"

Leia nodded, and Padmé continued her story. "So the war started, and the man was always away. He fought in many battles, and his wife was a senator who was trying to stop the Separatists too. During the war, the woman found out she was going to have a baby."

Leia gasped in excitement. "Was it a girl?"

"You'll see." Padmé said tantalizingly, grabbing the girl's attention all the more. "When the woman found this out, though, her husband was still fighting and she couldn't tell him. Finally, the husband came home—"

"Yay!" Leia interjected.

"And the woman was able to tell him about the baby. The man was happy he was going to have a baby, and the woman was happy too. However, someone worse than all the other bad men in the war did something horrible—he took the husband away from his wife. This bad man was named Palpatine. When the war ended, the wife and husband were separated from each other because of Palpatine, and the woman got hurt and gave birth without her husband being there."

At this point Leia was too engrossed in the story to even comment at the awful turn of events. She only stared at Padmé in horror and waited for her to continue.

"The woman gave birth to twins – a baby boy and a baby girl. The boy she named Luke, and the girl… was named Leia."

"That's my name!" Leia gasped.

"Yes, it is," Padmé nodded, looking at Leia intently.

Leia seemed to ponder the issue for a moment. "She has my name?"

"She's you," Padmé explained.

"She's _me_?" Leia exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "But what happened to my mommy and daddy? And—and—Palpatine did it? Palpatine kept my parents away from me?"

"Hang on; I'll finish the story," Padmé replied. Leia stared at her desperately, begging with her eyes for Padmé to quickly continue and explain more. "After you and your brother—"

"I have a _brother_?" Leia interrupted. "I have—where—but—"

"Just wait a moment more, sweetheart," Padmé calmed her daughter. "After you and your brother were born, your mother's injuries made her fall into a deep sleep. Your adopted father, Bail, was there when you were born. He was a dear friend of your mother, and he wanted to take care of you because your mother couldn't wake up."

"But what about my brother?" Leia asked hurriedly.

"He went with your father's family," Padmé answered simply. She wasn't going to explain anything more on that matter; she wasn't going to confuse her daughter by saying Anakin had become bad and then suddenly turned good before possibly turning quasi bad once more. She also wasn't going to say Palpatine was after Leia because she didn't want to scare her. Instead, she continued with the story. "Anyway, your mother continued to sleep and your father was a prisoner to Palpatine. However, just recently, your mother has woken up."

"She's awake?" Leia's eyes widened immensely. "Where is she?"

Padmé supposed this would be the moment to tell her. She wasn't sure if it was the right way to do so, but to torment Leia with the information any longer would be cruel. She crouched in front of her daughter so she could look at her face to face. "She's right in front of you."

Leia gazed at Padmé blankly for a moment as the realization came over her. Then she looked startled and confused, backing away from Padmé. Tears glistened in her eyes, and she shook her head. "But daddy said my parents are dead…"

"I was in a deep sleep, Leia," Padmé explained urgently and desperately. She _had_ to understand. "I couldn't come for you… I'm so sorry… but I'm awake now, Leia. I'm _here_."

Padmé suspected Leia might burst into tears and call for Bail or Breha. Instead, she took a small timid step towards Padmé.

"You're… you're my mommy?" she asked with a quivering voice.

Padmé felt herself choking up, so she just smiled and nodded intently. She felt a strange warmth envelope her, and Leia's odd behavior suddenly seemed to make sense.

She was Force sensitive.

Before Padmé could muster any coherent sentence, Leia finally did burst into tears. Instead of running away, however, she just barely reached her arms up towards Padmé, and Padmé needed no further indication; she immediately swept her daughter into her arms and held her tightly, listening to the girl sob as she cried silently into her daughter's hair.

"I'm here, Leia," she whispered. "I'm here,"

* * *

He watched her sleep. She had fallen asleep sometime while he had been napping, and he found her sitting beside the cot when he awoke. She looked so tired though she was sleeping deeply. Lines seemed etched onto her face and there were dark circles around her eyes. He felt her nervousness and terror, and it made his stomach churn just looking at her, yet he couldn't avert his gaze. She was the only thing in his world that he knew, and he was not letting go of that.

He sighed, leaning against the wall behind him. He didn't know where he was. He didn't know who he was. He didn't even know or understand the noises the woman made when she was with him. She seemed frustrated and sad that he didn't understand, and he wished with all his might that he could help, but something held him back. He seemed to dread the day when he could understand her. Maybe it was because of the glimpse he got from that horrible man.

A shiver ran down his spine as he thought of the man. When the person in the white coat had stuck a needle in him (he at least knew what _that_ was, and he _hated _it), he had panicked and pushed everything and everyone away. He ran anywhere he could to get away until he ran into that frightening old man. The man had stared at him and made those same strange noises the others made, but it made _sense_ in his mind. He felt cold as if he had been frozen, and he could immediately tell the old man was angry at him. The sense of the man's anger had been enough to startle him into compliance, and he had quickly left the room, hiding in the nearest corner he could find until he could pull himself together. While he had been in the room with the old man, however, he had felt more dread than he could ever explain, and he saw images that made no sense. He saw himself making those same strange noises as the others, and he was with the old man… but the woman wasn't there. He didn't like that part… it wasn't as if the woman just happened to be missing… no, he knew that she wasn't there for a _reason_, and it was that reason that he didn't like.

No, he wasn't going to let that man near him again. He wasn't going to leave the woman again. But now all he could hear was the man's voice, and he occasionally felt ice cold as if he were staring at the man again. It was as if the man was reaching inside of him, and it terrified him. He looked at the woman once more and felt safe again, sighing. Hugging himself, he slid down the wall to sit on the floor and just stared at her in a silent vigil.

An image of a man he had never seen before flashed in his mind. The man had a reddish blonde moustache and beard to match his well groomed hair, and his blue-grey eyes were far more calming than even watching the blonde woman. However, there was a different woman with this man; she was a brunette, and her brown eyes held strength, grace, and kindness. He didn't know why, but the image of those two made him feel at peace and miserable at the same time, and tears began to stream down his face. He let out a small sob and wished the image would go away, and when it did, he felt emptier than before.

* * *

**If it's worth your while, please leave a review. If you guys could do me a favor, tell me how you think Leia turned out; I don't think I'm very good at creating child characters, so I need all the help and advice I can get. :)  
**


	37. Reunion

**So apparently you guys thought Leia was okay? Good! :) Enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

The twin suns burned his skin was he tried to shield his face under his hood. He had almost forgotten the heat of Tatooine after enjoying other climates for a while. His exile on this planet seemed so long ago after everything that had happened in the past few weeks.

Good Force… had it really only been a few weeks? Thinking about it, Obi-Wan realized it had only been two weeks since he had reunited with Anakin, and it had been a month since he had left Tatooine.

The familiar sight of the Lars homestead came into view, and Obi-Wan heaved a heavy sigh. This was going to be interesting trying to explain the situation to Owen and Beru; Owen already had no trust for Obi-Wan, afraid he would drag Luke into trouble or bring trouble to them. Beru was a little kinder, but she was just as protective of Luke and just as scared of the possibility that her nephew might be found by his father.

He had no idea how he would do this. Being delicate would make no difference… and he supposed he might as well just get to the point. Owen was a simple and gruff man, and he didn't appreciate beating around the bush. He just wanted the truth, plain and simple. It was amazing how he and his step-brother held such a strong character trait in common though they weren't actually related.

Owen was scouting the perimeter of his farm when he noticed Obi-Wan's approach. He immediately stiffened. "What are you doing here?"

Obi-Wan took a deep breath. He supposed there was no going back now. "Luke isn't safe here."

Beru, who had also seen Obi-Wan, exited the homestead and just heard his statement. Her eyes widened in horror while her husband demanded, "What do you mean?"

"The Empire will come for him," Obi-Wan explained. It wasn't certain if Luke's identity was revealed or not, but Obi-Wan was _not_ taking any chances. He had sworn to protect Luke Skywalker, and that was exactly what he was going to do. "He has to leave."

Owen looked enraged and panicked. "You said he would be safe here! You said no one knew!"

"Things changed," Obi-Wan said, not bothering to explain everything that had happened. He doubted Owen would see Anakin's actions as proof of returning to the light, anyway, and he wasn't going to argue the point with him. However, he did have to make his point quite clear. "I'm sorry, but they will kill him or worse if he remains. He has to leave."

Owen glared at Obi-Wan disdainfully while Beru began to weep. "Things always change with you Jedi, don't they?"

"I can't leave him, Obi-Wan!" Beru sobbed.

Obi-Wan tried to be comforting, but Owen pulled Beru out of his reach before he could lay a hand on her shoulder. He could tell the moisture farmer was angry with him; after all, he had promised that Luke would be safe with them, and they had taken great care to be a loving family for him. Still, Luke had to go; if Palpatine read Anakin's mind…

Shuddering, Obi-Wan quickly said, "Beru, I'm so sorry… but Luke cannot stay, and you two cannot afford to leave your farm. I'll take good care of him."

"Like you took good care of Anakin?" Owen snapped, and the words bit into Obi-Wan like a poison-laced whip.

Beru noticed Obi-Wan flinch and immediately put her hand on Owen's shoulder to calm him. She composed herself and looked worriedly to her home before saying to her husband, "Owen… I don't want Luke to leave…"

Obi-Wan felt his stomach churn. He _had_ to make them understand. Before he could reply, though, Beru continued. "But much worse, I don't want him to die,"

Obi-Wan stood there, stunned at Beru's relinquish. She began to sob again as Owen tried to argue the point softly with her, but she continually shook her head. Obi-Wan waited, holding his breath, and Owen finally looked grimly at him.

"Be it on your head, Jedi," he said in a low growl. His eyes softened for an instant, however, showing that he was vulnerable and worried. "He had better stay safe."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan immediately said, relieved. "I'll go get him."

"You'll do no such thing," Owen answered quickly. "_We'll_ get him. We want to say goodbye first…"

Pausing, Obi-Wan allowed this last act from Owen and Beru, who entered their home in mournful silence. Obi-Wan waited outside impatiently, though, his nerves on edge as if Anakin would accidentally reveal his son's location at any moment. Any sound made Obi-Wan jump and he searched the sky for any sign of Imperials. As soon as he got Luke he would try to make contact with Senator Organa and ask where Padmé had gone with Leia. He supposed she probably wanted to head to Tatooine, but he wasn't sure. Either way, he had to make contact with her; he had a plan he and Anakin had set into motion, and he was going to see it through.

Owen emerged from the small home with Luke following him. Luke looked nervous, even frightened. Obi-Wan wasn't sure what Owen and Beru had told him, but their ravaging emotions were no doubt picked up by the Force sensitive boy.

Obi-Wan immediately walked over to Luke and gave him a reassuring smile to calm him down. Owen exchanged a meaningful look with Obi-Wan, locking eyes with him.

_You had better take care of him_, his look said. Obi-Wan gave a confident nod in response and then took Luke's hand.

"Where are we going, Ben?" Luke asked with a trembling voice.

"We're going on an adventure, Luke," Obi-Wan answered, and this drew out a wide-eyed look of curiosity from the five-year-old.

"What kind of adventure?" he queried as Obi-Wan took him farther from the homestead.

"We're going to find your parents,"

Luke gasped. "My _parents_? But—but Uncle Owen said they're dead!"

Obi-Wan paused and looked Luke in the eye. "He was wrong."

* * *

Ryatsi shuddered.

The Imperial Palace was just as enormous and foreboding as she had heard. The monumental proportions of the palace led it to be the largest building on all of Imperial Center, commanding respect. The ornate hallways showed the wealth, power, and prestige of the person who lived there. The hangar where the shuttle from the Star Destroyer had landed could probably hold the destroyer itself in there. The medical facilities in the palace were top notch, easily rivaling any hospital.

As wonderful as it all was, however, it only felt like an extravagant cage to Ryatsi. She had a feeling that Anakin thought the same, seeing as he was jumpier than she had ever seen him.

Anakin constantly looked around as if he was hearing someone talking to him or following him. Whenever Ryatsi asked what was wrong, he would just shake his head, and then she would grow frustrated at her lack of ability to communicate with him. She wished dearly that he could understand her, but then she remembered the ominous query from the doctor aboard Palpatine's flagship.

Although they had reached their destination, Ryatsi had still seen or heard nothing from Palpatine, which she found strange. She had figured she would have to justify her survival to the emperor, but he didn't seem to care enough to even bother to have her killed. She was thankful; the less he noticed her, the better. If only she could figure out what was bothering Anakin so much…

Anakin moaned a little, catching Ryatsi's attention. The two had been relaxing on a balcony that was attached to an empty ballroom. Anakin had been sitting on a bench and looking out at the view, but now he was huddled on the bench only looking at his feet.

"What's wrong?" Ryatsi asked. Anakin trembled a little. "Are you cold?"

Shaking his head, Anakin moaned again, making Ryatsi nervous. Had he shaken his head because he was in pain or because he had actually understood her? Was he catching on quickly? He had read Kerrick's mind last time in order to learn speech; had been reading hers without her knowing it?

"Does your head hurt?" she tried. Anakin ignored her. As frustrating as it was, Ryatsi actually sighed in relief. Anakin moaned again and she walked over to him, touching his shoulder lightly. "What's the matter?"

Anakin once more shook his head and then began to hold it.

"Your head _is_ hurting, isn't it?" Ryatsi crouched in order to look Anakin in the eye. His eyes were squeezed shut and his face was forming a grimace. He let out another moan. "What is it, little one?"

The moment the words left her lips Anakin's eyes snapped open to look at her. She immediately regretted the slip; she hadn't meant to call him little one. The damage was done, though; he stared at her long and hard as if he was trying to remember where he had heard such a familiar term. Ryatsi begged heaven to prevent him from remembering anything, and he seemed to be struggling with any recollections, which relieved her slightly.

"Never mind," she quickly said, standing up. Anakin remained frozen, though, searching for something that his mind wouldn't let him find.

* * *

"What does daddy look like?"

Padmé smiled as she brushed her hand over Leia's hair. Her daughter had been asking nonstop questions since they had embraced; she was definitely her father's daughter. The two shared that insatiable curiosity.

"Well, daddy's tall," Padmé began. "He has brown skin, blue eyes, and a funny nose."

Leia laughed. "He has a funny nose?"

"It's a big nose," Padmé pushed her own nose to demonstrate, making Leia laugh even more. "He also has this really goofy laugh when he's being silly."

"Daddy can be silly?"

"Oh yes, he's _very_ good at being silly," Padmé sighed.

"We're going to rescue daddy, right?" Leia suddenly asked, excited. "You said he's the emperor's prisoner. Does the emperor have him locked in a tower like in stories?"

Despite the seriousness of her husband's situation, Padmé laughed out loud at the thought of him being a damsel in distress locked away in some tower. If only it _were_ that simple. Of course to be honest, she didn't know what she would do to help Anakin. Her thoughts had been so bent on simply getting Leia to safety, and then just after that she had wanted to travel to Tatooine to get Luke. She remembered that Obi-Wan had said he was going to Tatooine himself; she hoped he hadn't left the planet yet. She wanted to make contact with him and meet her son. She also would love to finally face him for what he had done; they hadn't had time on Taris to discuss the idiocy of Anakin's plan, but she was still fuming over it.

"Mommy?"

Padmé jumped and looked at her daughter, who was watching her confusedly. "Sorry, dear. What did you ask?"

"Is daddy locked in a tower?" she repeated.

Smiling, Padmé indulged in her daughter's simple idea. "Yes, he is."

"Oh no!" Leia gasped, growing very concerned. "We are going to rescue him, right?"

"Of course we are, Leia," Padmé replied, hugging her daughter and looking away worriedly. "But first we have to get your brother."

Leia paused, and Padmé looked at her daughter to see she looked nervous. "Are you scared?"

Leia nodded a little and then shrugged. "I don't know… I've never had a brother…"

"Brothers are wonderful things, Leia," Padmé reassured her daughter. "You and Luke will get along well."

Before Leia could reply, a beeping sound emitted from the console. It signaled the ship's exit from hyperspace, and so Padmé stood and walked to the pilot's chair. She helped Leia strap into a passenger seat and then took hold of the controls just as Tatooine burst into view.

"There it is," she said, and Leia stared in awe.

"Where's the water?" she asked.

"In the air mostly," Padmé answered. "It's primarily a desert down there."

"Luke lives in a _desert_?" Leia sounded horrified at the notion.

"Well yes, but we're going to get him out of there, okay?"

"Okay…"

Padmé guided the ship into the atmosphere, flying near Mos Eisley. She remembered the location of the Lars homestead well enough; she could fly there directly if she needed to. However, as Padmé hovered near a landing area in the city she caught sight of Obi-Wan, who was running to the landing area and awaiting her arrival. Leia seemed to notice him too, and the two especially noticed that Obi-Wan had a young boy with him.

Landing the ship, Padmé helped Leia out of the straps and the two immediately went to the ramp. Padmé lowered the ramp and took her daughter's hand, leading the way off the ship.

Obi-Wan approached the two holding Luke's hand. He looked breathless, and Luke was panting. "I just sensed you; I didn't want you flying off to the homestead."

Padmé nodded, but her eyes were fixed on Luke. Before she could say anything, though, Leia said, "You're dressed funny."

Luke jumped and looked at his clothes before looking at her. "Well you are too, you know!"

"Mommy Organa dressed me like this!" Leia argued. Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at Leia's address of Breha, and Padmé shrugged with the intention of explaining later. Ever since she had told Leia that she was the girl's mother, Leia had been differentiating by using surnames.

"Well Aunt Beru dressed _me_ like _this_!" Luke stomped his foot stubbornly.

Leia gasped. "We have an aunt and uncle?"

Luke blinked. "Huh?"

Obi-Wan and Padmé laughed.

"Luke," Obi-Wan said to catch the boy's attention. "This is Leia and her mother… _your_ mother."

Luke stared at Obi-Wan blankly. Then he looked at Leia and Padmé. He scrunched up his nose and slowly released his hand from Obi-Wan's. "Why did Uncle Owen say you were dead? Where were you?"

"I was…" Padmé began to answer, but Leia interrupted her.

"Mommy was in a sleep she couldn't wake up from and daddy's the emperor's prisoner and he's locked in a tower and we have to rescue him!" she explained urgently.

"_Huh?"_ Luke stared at her in confusion.

Leia broke from her mother's grip and marched towards Luke with great importance, spouting all the things that Padmé had been telling her on the way to Tatooine. Luke tried to listen with rapt attention, but sometimes he interrupted, sparking an argument between the two. Obi-Wan and Padmé exchanged glances of amusement and bewilderment, but they left them alone for the time being.

"What did you tell Owen and Beru?" Padmé asked.

Obi-Wan sighed. "I told them what they needed to know; I said Luke was in danger and had to leave."

"You gave them a chance to say goodbye, right?"

"Of course I did… after this is over Luke can see them again."

"Over?" Padmé snapped. Luke and Leia were still busy arguing details over their parents' lives and therefore did not notice. "I don't see how any of this will be over anytime soon after the stunt you and Anakin pulled on Taris."

"Padmé, this will be sorted out," Obi-Wan stated. He was about to continue when Padmé interrupted, shaking her head.

"My children are safe so long as they're with me and away from the Empire… but now what, Obi-Wan? I can't just _leave_ Anakin in Palpatine's clutches!"

"We're not going to, Padmé," Obi-Wan answered quickly to reassure her. Padmé raised an eyebrow, her eyes hard from anger, but the Jedi continued. "We couldn't fight Palpatine on Taris; no one was prepared for an invasion, and Anakin wasn't ready to fight him. However, if we can amass enough forces, we can take Anakin back no matter how strong the Imperials may be."

Padmé's anger subsided partially as the Jedi Master finally seemed to be making sense. However, this new train of thought didn't seem to match up with his and Anakin's original plan of wiping Anakin's memory. "What are you saying? That was your plan originally?"

Obi-Wan seemed to be growing more exasperated and frustrated than Padmé. "Of _course_ it was; good heavens, did everyone just assume I was automatically insensitive and heartless simply because I'm a Jedi? Anakin and I both knew no one would survive against the Imperials on Taris, and there was no way they were leaving that planet with the manhunt they were doing. Anakin _had_ to return to Palpatine… but since I wiped his memories Palpatine would not be able to do much until Anakin was at least able to understand him. I know the emperor would have no patience with retraining Anakin to speak and do basic habits and skills; he would leave that to Ryatsi, so long as she played her cards right. That would give the rest of us enough time to get our loved ones out of danger and organize a counterstrike; _we_ would be the ones with the element of surprise, not the Imperials."

Padmé stared blankly at Obi-Wan. She was certainly relieved that the plan actually had _some_ logic to it, but now she was annoyed for another reason. "And you didn't feel like informing the rest of us?"

"Padmé, no logic would get through to any of you once you found out I had wiped Anakin's memory. You were too enraged… I can't say I blame you. But that's the past," Obi-Wan explained and then waived his hand dismissively. "We have to get to the others."

The others? As in the other Imperials? "But they're scattered! Since they didn't know we'd be regrouping they could be anywhere!"

Obi-Wan smiled. "You didn't spend as much time with them as I did. I know one Imperial who can probably boast knowing everything about every single member of the navy."

Walking towards the ship, Obi-Wan motioned for Padmé to get the twins and follow him. "We're heading to Nihoma."

* * *

_Little One._

Somehow those sounds, those _words_, stuck. When the nice lady had said 'little one,' he had actually _understood_ her.

Speech had been becoming more accessible to him as soon as they had arrived at the big foreboding building. He hadn't liked being there, and he still didn't—there was something sickening in the air, something stale as if the dead lingered in the halls. Nothing brought warmth to him here, and he hated it. What he hated the most, though, was that he kept hearing the frightening man's voice in his head, whispering words he didn't understand. Images would go through his mind, leaving him confused and in pain as if someone were scraping his skull to find something in there. Nothing about this place was pleasant, and nothing about hearing words spoken was comforting…

Until she said _little one_.

Somehow, _somehow_ he _knew_ those words were significant. Were they his name? Were they a title for something or someone? He'd heard them before, _that_ much he knew.

"_It's okay, little one. We're not here to hurt you."_

That voice sounded so familiar… he could almost put a face to it…

_Lord Vader._

Jumping as he heard the man's voice in his mind once more, he moaned and held his head in pain. The nice lady with him gave him a worried look but she didn't seem to know what to do. He didn't know what to do either… he just wanted that man _out_.

The lady walked over and hugged him. The motion was comforting enough and he relaxed, holding her tightly and willing the voice away. It whispered again before fading. So long as he was with the woman he would be safe. So long as he didn't talk he'd be safe.

But he _would_ find out what little one was.

* * *

"So you had the intention of getting him back all along?"

Obi-Wan sighed heavily. "_Yes_, Padmé; I know he's your husband but try to bear in mind that he's part of _my_ family too. I don't intentionally try to get him hurt."

Padmé looked away. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan… but what did you expect me to do? All you told us was that you and Anakin had made up the plan on the basis that it was 'too dangerous'… nothing about getting him back!"

"Did you think I was just going to abandon him? I told you before we left that we would get him when the time was right."

"I figured your timing would take longer," Padmé shook her head. "Forgive me."

Obi-Wan gave a smile that said he did just that and then turned his gaze to the viewport. Hyperspace swirled around them as they traveled; they had left Tatooine about an hour ago at this point, but it was still another fifteen hours to Nihoma. After all the traveling that they had all done he knew they would need some sleep en route.

"Did you always intend on gathering the others once more?" Padmé asked.

Obi-Wan furrowed his brow a little as he considered the question. "I suppose I did… when I saw them part on Taris I had a sense that we would hopefully see each other again if we weren't killed in the process of reuniting."

"I'm still doubtful we'll be able to find all of them," Padmé sighed. "After all they are trying to go into _hiding_."

"They have to find their families first and uproot them, and that will take some time… enough time for us to get to them before the Imperials,"

"Why haven't the Imperials come after us yet? Or do you think they're already honing in on the others?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "It's possible they might already be searching for us, but I doubt it. Palpatine's fleet probably just reached Imperial Center at this point; the orders for other fleets to search for us won't be going out until tonight or tomorrow."

Padmé nodded and the two watched hyperspace in silence. Obi-Wan pondered their predicament and he couldn't help but grow nervous. Anakin's amnesia would not last nearly as long as it had last time; despite Obi-Wan's efforts to keep the young man's memories locked away, he knew Palpatine would probably be trying to break through. The chronometer was ticking, leaving Obi-Wan jumpy. He kept expecting to sense Anakin simply crack under the pressure, and his stomach churned. This was Anakin's idea, but Obi-Wan had agreed to it and gone through with it; if anything happened to Anakin…

Trying to banish the thoughts from his mind, Obi-Wan started a different conversation with Padmé. "So where are the twins? Have they been getting along?"

"Last I saw they were telling each other their favorite color," Padmé smiled. "They're getting along better than I expected."

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know…" Padmé's eyes clouded as she became pensive. "They just seem to be taking it awfully well; how would you have reacted if someone had told you at age five that she was your mother, you had a twin sibling, and then she took you from your home to your biological family?"

Obi-Wan pondered the concept for a moment. It was a strange thing to consider, at least for him; the Jedi had always been his family. He supposed a big difference between his sort of upbringing and the twins' was that they were told their parents were dead and that was why their parents weren't there. Obi-Wan, on the other hand, never even considered his parents until he was almost a teenager; it was simply normal where he lived to grow up with younglings in a clan with a master to parent them. If someone were to have approached him when he was five and claim she was his mother, he probably would have thought she was insane and run off to his crèche master.

"Obi-Wan?"

Jumping, Obi-Wan looked at Padmé once more. "To be honest, Padmé, I don't know how I'd react… my situation was different from Luke and Leia's. It would probably be better to look at if from _their_ perspective rather than reason it from ours."

"I'm _trying_ to look at if from their perspective," Padmé replied. "But I can't make it out; Leia seems to be more like Anakin, which would imply that she's very close to her family, that being Bail and Breha. It took some explanation and comforting to get her to accept the fact that I was her mother, but still… she seemed to accept it awfully quickly."

Padmé then looked at Obi-Wan shrewdly. "Did you know they were Force sensitive?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "Yes, I knew. That was part of the reason why we separated them; they were less likely to be noticed in the Force that way. Since they are Force sensitive, though, that probably is what's guiding their decisions and acceptance. You've seen it with Anakin; the Force can be quite useful in detecting deceit in a person. If they sensed none in you, then, as the trusting five-year-olds that they are, they will simply accept it as truth. It's amazing how simple life is through the eyes of a child."

"Indeed,"

"But they are getting along well, right?"

Padmé nodded. "Yes, they're getting along very—"

"Mommy! Mommy look!"

Padmé and Obi-Wan turned to see Luke and Leia rushing into the cockpit. The two had an enormous stack of papers in their hands with what appeared to be drawings all over them. Leia reached them first and sifted through the papers until she found one and showed it to them.

"This is Mommy Organa and Daddy Organa!" Leia pointed to the drawings of Bail and Breha. She was mostly showing Obi-Wan, who had been introduced to her as a relative of her father.

Just as Leia was about to pull another drawing out Luke shoved passed her in a thick blanket that had been given to him and held out his drawing proudly. "This is Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, Mother!"

Obi-Wan did his best to hide a smirk as he gazed at the drawings. Padmé was saying something along the lines of 'that's pretty,' which was a typical doting mother's response over her children's astonishing works of art. As Obi-Wan looked at the drawings, he could detect some similarities between the drawings and their inspirations, though he didn't recall Bail's feet being longer than his legs, nor did he recall Breha's hair engulfing her head rather than simply sitting atop it. Luke's masterpiece was especially interesting seeing as he tried to put a background in it; in the end the moisture vaporator he had drawn towered over Owen and Beru, who looked like two jawa stick figures beside a monolith.

"I just wanted you to see them," Luke said happily. He was about to continue when Leia interrupted.

"So where's Daddy?" she asked. "Luke and I were coming up with a way to get him out of the tower! What's the tower look like? Is it _really_ tall?"

"We could go back to Uncle Owen and borrow some rope if we need to climb it!" Luke interjected earnestly.

Obi-Wan threw a bewildered look at Padmé. "Tower?"

"It's complicated," Padmé sighed. She then faced the twins. "Children, we can't go back to see Owen, Beru, or the Organas. You see, Palpatine is… Palpatine is looking for anybody who could rescue your father; he will capture you too if you let him find you."

Luke and Leia looked frightened and exchanged looks of horror.

"But how are we going to get Father out?" Luke asked worriedly.

Obi-Wan gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, little ones. We'll get your father out very soon, but you have to listen to everything your mother and I say, okay?"

"Okay," the twins nodded. Then Leia pursued her previous venture. "But what does the tower look like? Where is it? Is it on some planet in Wild Space? Are there monsters around it?"

"Is it cold there?" Luke added, sounding quiet and small in the enormous blanket.

"It's colder than Tatooine," Padmé answered. "It's very tall, dark, and surrounded by and attached to other towers."

Leia immediately grew silent and tried to think through the predicament. She then turned to Luke. "Well we won't need a rope, then."

Luke shrugged and then came to a realization. "We'll have to go through the other towers!"

The twins looked at each other in astonishment and then ran out of the room to discuss this new revelation. Padmé and Obi-Wan exchanged glances before laughing loudly.

"They certainly are quite a pair," Obi-Wan noted.

"Yes, they seem to be," Padmé shook her head as she stopped laughing, but a smile still shone on her face. "Nihoma will certainly be an interesting surprise for them."

"Luke will at least be used to the dragons," Obi-Wan chuckled.

"True,"

The two calmed and retreated into their own thoughts as they watched hyperspace. The sound of Luke and Leia's scheming echoed down the hall from another room. Obi-Wan simply took the time to try and relax; the quiet was making him think about Anakin's predicament again, though there was a touch of amusement to it when he caught snippets of the children's conversation.

Eventually Padmé left the cockpit to spend time with the twins. They were still brainstorming over how to break Anakin out of his supposed tower and they constantly ran ideas by her. Obi-Wan listened as the three bonded over escape plans—something that only the Skywalker family would do, naturally… it didn't surprise Obi-Wan in the least that his family would be just as bizarre and completely _different_ as he was.

Hours passed, leaving Obi-Wan tired from the stress of everything that had happened. He hadn't slept since the night before the Ria Dance, and at this point that was two days ago. Padmé had long since put the twins to bed, and she no doubt had gone to sleep as well. Settling deeper into his chair, Obi-Wan crossed his legs, folded his hands over his lap, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.


End file.
